I'll Fight For You
by TheGrandGiftOfSilence
Summary: OOC. Jace and Clary have a history that goes way back, one Clary no longer remembers 5 years after leaving New York. Now, when she returns, Jace's life is turned upside down as he fights to get back the girl he loves, whilst an unseen threat lurks in the shadows and watches their every move... Shadowhunter Story. I suck at summaries!
1. Prologue

"Clarissa Morgernstern, get back down these stairs right now!"

I shook my head in disgust, listening to the echoes of my mother's voice resonate in my ears.

"Do you hear me?" Jocelyn screeched, and I winced slightly at the sound. I was used to this. It happened the same way every Friday and Saturday night; I'd go out with Simon to god knows where, get drunk, arrive home in the early hours and then get shouted at.

It was a routine that came out of nowhere.

I reached the top of the stairs and made straight for my bedroom, slamming the door loudly behind me, and then instantly thinking of Jonathon asleep in the room opposite. I winced again, afraid I'd woken him up, and flopped on my bed, the mattress sinking slightly under my weight.

_Why am I always the one to get the blame?_ I thought, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose to stop the alcohol from going to my head. It was a feeble attempt.

I didn't do it to spite my Mom and Dad. I loved my family more than anyone in the world, and I had the 18 years to prove it. But I was a teenager, and I just wanted to do what regular, normal teenagers did. Get drunk and party hard.

I sat up, sighed, and slid to the edge of the bed, blood rushing back up to my face. I pulled off my black boots slowly, wiggling my aching toes, and pulled my phone from my pocket. I was surprised to see it was flashing red, considering I'd charged it up before I left the house 4 hours ago. Damn Blackberry's.

I typed a quick text to Simon before crashing back on the bed, holding my phone to my face to wait for his reply. _Should've stayed at yours._

_Sorry babe. You should've said. _– S

I laughed at Simon's text, and then regretted it after my phone slipped through my sweaty fingers and landed on my face.

I felt like such an idiot (even though no one could see me), and aimed to throw my stupid damn phone towards the ceiling, before realising that probably wasn't a good idea and tossed it on my beside table instead. I kicked my jeans off and wrapped myself in the covers, smashing my face into the downy pillow and drifting off almost instantly.

That night, I dreamt of him.


	2. Hard Rememberance

**Sooo, my Minions! I'm going to call you my Minions, because I am :P**

**My first chapter wasn't huge, but there's a lot coming for this. Trust me on that :)**

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Miss Cassandra Clare.**

* * *

**Jace P.O.V.** _While Clary was out with Simon._

Aline looked at me, her eyes wavering over my body as I changed my blood encrusted dark t-shirt to a long sleeved striped button-down shirt. I could see her reflection in the mirror, her eyes almost glazing over. I rolled my eyes and spoke to her without turning around.

"Aline, did anyone tell you that staring isn't polite?"

She flushed slowly, the colour building up from her neck and rushing into her face. It was only me who could make girls feel like that. And some women too, it seemed, after I got that note from my Chemistry teacher a few years back. I smiled slightly at the memory.

I picked my phone up from my dresser and sent a quick text to Alec, telling him that we were just leaving the Institute.

Aline curved her lips up slightly as I turned to face her, and she latched onto my arm like a lost puppy, her fingers brushing over the fabric. It made me feel relieved that I'd decided on long sleeves.

Me and Aline Penhallow weren't an item. We were like friends with benefits; I was her toy, and she was my distraction. But she was constantly there, looking over my shoulder and suffocating my very way of life, which was killing demons. I'd had to use Aline after fighting became a subconscious effort, and I could still think about _her_ while I killed them.

But, _god_, was the sex good.

I led Aline out of the Institute and we walked the few blocks to Taki's, her crooning in my ear about what she would do to me tonight. It was enough to make me want to take her into an alley and do her right against the god damned wall.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat and the one in my pants as we walked into Taki's, and I noticed that the only two seats left at our table were opposite each other. _Thank god,_ I thought, sighing with relief as we went to go and join my family at the table.

Aline finally let go of my arm and I was able to think clearly again, as I took my seat between Alec and Max Lightwood, my adoptive brothers. Max showed me his new comic and Alec laughed silently.

Alec was a year older than me, with black hair that flopped into his clear blue eyes, and he was my_ parabatai_, which also made him think he was the boss of me. I didn't mind it though; we protected each other in fights and never did anything without letting the other know before or straight after.

My 'parents', of sorts, Maryse and Robert, smiled at me graciously and their daughter Isabelle gave me a wave.

We weren't a normal group of people; we were Shadowhunters, a race that were created to keep humans safe from 'hell', as some people would call it, although it was a lot worse than what they were told. Some details were leaked out over the course of the years, to keep humans from asking questions. But I'd grown up with the story, and I'd grown up with her.

I pulled out my phone and, with a glare from Maryse (she was very strict about using phones at the dinner table), brought up a photo.

It was of me, the same golden eyes and blonde hair, hugging a petite, pale girl with fiery red hair, framing her freckled face and deep green eyes.

All around the table, people were talking and laughing as they pored over the menus and decided what to eat. I leaned my head back against the seat and allowed myself to think of the first time I'd ever met her.

_Jace scowled at Isabelle, her long, raven-black hair swinging in the light breeze. She was laughing and pointing a stick towards his throat._

"_Jacey, you need to think more," she chimed, grinning and prodding him with the stick._

_He was six years old and did not like to be beat by a girl. He rolled to his feet, taking Isabelle's legs out from underneath her and she fell with a soft 'oomph' onto the floor._

"_Got you!" Jace cried, taking Isabelle's stick and pointing it at her heart. "I win!"_

_Now it was Isabelle's turn to scowl as Jace howled a battle cry and started to dance around her body. She picked herself up off the ground, a light sheen of sweat on the back of her neck due to the summer sun. _

"_Wait till next time," she chimed sweetly, and Jace howled with laughter._

_He looked around him, and started when his eyes connected with a small red-head. He had no idea how long she'd been there, but he, Izzy and Alec had used this place to 'train' until they were old enough to use weapons._

_He nudged Izzy, who was wiping her hands against her dress, and she turned her dark eyes to the girl._

"_Hey!" The girl jumped and came cautiously out of her hiding place, a look of awe on her face._

"_Who are you, Shortie?" Jace shouted rudely and Izzy elbowed him hard in the side. She smiled at the girl, who returned it gratefully. She came forward, her steps slow and dance-like, and when she reached Jace she turned her eyes up to his, the deep green piercing his skull._

"_She beat you," the girl said, her eyes laughing, as she inclined her head to Izzy. "You cheated, Angel."_

_Jace sputtered and Izzy burst out laughing. "Angel? But that's a girl's name!" _

"_I'll keep it." _

"_Oh, I like you," Izzy said, breathing heavily and clutching her side. "What's your name?"_

_The girl looked straight at Jace as she replied, and Jace felt all exposed and awkward. _

"_I'm Clary."_

"JACE!"

I shook my head quickly and looked at Alec, who was staring at me with a perplexed look on his face. Someone's foot caught my leg under the table and I closed my eyes at the sudden pain, turning my gaze to Aline, who was glaring at me. I was showing her up, apparently.

The rest of the table were looking at me with concern, and I dragged my hands across my eyes before thinking of an explanation.

"Sorry, think I just zoned out for a minute." I muttered, and then I caught sight of the waitress, standing with her mouth open. I grinned at her and winked, letting my family know I was back to normal.

"I'll have the usual, Kaelie," I said, winking again, and she wrote it down in her notebook. Aline kicked me again and I winced, her eyes shooting daggers into the side of my skull.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Clary P.O.V.**

_The dream started out normally, at first, but then it started to span out more and it felt like de-ja-vu. _

_I was stood in a field, 5 years old, holding my mother's hand tightly like I was frightened the wind would blow me away. She looked at me lovingly and kissed the top of my head before letting me go._

_I started to panic and looked everywhere, but I couldn't see her. I sat down amidst the long grass, crying, until a noise pulsated behind me. I didn't look, somehow just knowing that whatever it was dangerous and would kill me without a thought. I jumped to my feet, terrified, and ran through the grass, afraid of the dark that was now eating everything up behind me. I felt myself aging as I ran, becoming taller, and it became easier to run._

_But I still felt threatened by the dark, so I pounded my feet harder against the ground, pushing myself faster. I clutched the stitch in my side but didn't give up, and I didn't stop until I collided with a body, my eyes glued to my feet. I looked up in surprise, the wind cutting through my thin t-shirt, and I saw the features of a perfect boy stood in front of me, his golden eyes lowered to mine and his blonde, curly hair tousled by the wind. I remembered something Jocelyn had said a long time ago; that you never make people up in your dreams._

_Surely I'd remember if someone as... perfect as this had ever crossed my path. But the impact had left me stunned and I didn't think to ask him._

_My mouth made a small 'o' and his mimicked mine, his white t-shirt so tight against his muscles that I almost drooled. He put his hands lightly on my shoulders and drew me into him, clutching me to his chest. I should've been shocked, but I didn't push him away and just let him hold me. The name 'Jace' flashed through my mind, and it felt so familiar that I tested it out with my tongue. _

_The boy tilted my face up and grinned, and as he bent down to kiss me, he whispered, "You kept me waiting."_

_I closed my eyes, a smile on my lips, and then the darkness took me away from him._

I woke up, breathing heavily, a light sheen of sweat covering every inch of my skin. I glanced at the clock, the slight movement of my head sending a stabbing pain through my skull and out the other side.

03:13.

I groaned and sat up in my bed, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping the covers more securely around myself. I grabbed the pack of Aspirin I kept in my drawer, popped two in my mouth and downed the glass of water next to my bed.

I didn't think I would get back to sleep now; the darkness seemed too thick and heavy and it reminded me of my dream. I remembered Jocelyn's face as she left me in that field, me running to try and get away from the black behind me, and then there was a huge block in my memory when I got to the collision.

I thought it was a boy, but I couldn't be sure. I'd felt his muscles at the impact, but I couldn't remember his face, the way he looked, what his name was... anything.

I let my head drop onto my knees and I sighed. I'd had a lot of dreams like this recently, but I had nothing to link them together apart from the mysterious boy. Who was a ghost, apparently.

I tilted my head slightly so I could catch sight of the stars in between the crack in my curtains.

Then I heard myself whisper "Who are you?"

* * *

**Well, my Minions! That's Chapter 2 done, so what do we think? ;)**

**Jace: I happen to know that -**

**Clary: Jace, be quiet! You'll ruin it!**

**Jace: But I know what's going to happen!**

**Me: Stop moaning, will you?**

**Jace: I can make you moan instead, if you'd like.**

**Clary: Jace!**

**Ahaa! So you know what to do, my Minions! Review!**

**- TheGrandGiftOfSilence**


	3. It's Him

**ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO THE WONDERFUL WOMAN CALLED MISS CASSANDRA CLARE. **

**Thanks for your comments so far, my Minions :)**

**Now the reason I've gone down this route is because it's very rare that anyone does a fan fiction about Jace's sensitive side: he always starts out as a bit of a jackass. Just to clear up any confusion.**

**And now, onto the story.**

* * *

**Clary P.O.V.**

I woke up with a stiff back, sore neck and a dulling headache. After my dream in the middle of the night I'd fallen back to sleep with my arms locked around my legs and my chin resting on my knees. I was exhausted, and felt mildly sick from the pain in my head.

I tried to stretch out my legs, my bones creaking slightly and a tingling feeling appearing in my toes. Good, my circulation was coming back. I started to tilt my head from side to side and cracked my back, the stiffness evaporating almost instantly.

Gingerly, I scrubbed a hand across my face, peeling the sleep away from my eyes, and ran my pale hands through my fiery red hair. It was knotty and desperately in need of a wash.

I sighed. I really could not give a shit about how I looked right now. I didn't really think Jocelyn would either when we'd have our regular Sunday shouting match, which usually consisted of cold-hearted sarcasm from my end, and a very red face from the other.

I couldn't wait.

A smirk spread across my face. As bad as it sounds, I actually loved pissing Jocelyn off. I'd get away with murder if I admitted to it first. But Valentine, on the other hand, was a completely different matter. Not a lot scared me, but Valentine could kill a person stone dead if he so much as _looked_ at them. I hated him for that.

I had this theory when I was younger, that he was a demon in a human disguise. And when I asked him about it, he smacked me round the face and wouldn't speak to me for almost two weeks. But he absolutely adored Jonathon. They were forever going out together; fishing, football, raping girls in the street, I don't know. He was a creep.

I suppose when I say I love my parents, I mean Jocelyn and her best friend, Luke Garroway. Luke is always round at our house, helping Jocelyn look after me when she was away on 'business', but I wouldn't be surprised if she was off 'sexing' up another man. He gave me and Simon lifts anywhere when we needed them, and always covered for us if Valentine asked. He told Jocelyn everything though, which was a bit sucky, but considering he wasn't actually my parent I was content with what he said.

With a father who hated me, a mother who was always away and the only other person I could talk to about my problems being Jonathon in the household, I'd had a pretty shit childhood.

Sighing, I made my way to my bathroom and cranked up the hot water of the shower. I obviously cared about my appearance after all. I let the mirror steam up before I stripped off and slipped under the spray.

The water started to work its way through my knotted hair and I swirled shampoo into it (the sweet smelling one that made Simon call me Strawberry), thinking about last night's dream-slash-nightmare. Maybe now I was thinking straight and felt a little less sick, I could figure out where I'd seen the boy before.

But I couldn't remember anything about him! Not his name, his face, the way he felt under my fingertips, it had all gone. I banged my head against the water guard of the shower in frustration, and instantly regretted it after my headache came crashing back.

"SHIT!" I cried, clutching my now pounding head and sinking to the floor of the shower. It _hurt._ It hurt really bad, worse than it had before. I hadn't drank that much! Had I? No, just enough so I wouldn't feel anything.

I tried blinking to clear away the blurriness than now clouded my vision, but it just made me sink further into it. My legs felt like jelly and could no longer hold me up, and all I heard was myself give a weak, insane giggle as the black waves dragged me under.

"_Get off me, Angel!" Clary giggled, spraying dirt with her scrawny 5-year-old legs._

_She was pinned down by a boy a year older than her, a huge grin covering the better half of his face. He looked down at Clary with golden eyes, shining with laughter, and rolled onto his back next to her. _

_They stayed that way until Clary was able to breathe properly again against the stitch in her side, looking up at the darkening sky._

_They were out back near the Institute, the boy teaching Clary how to fight, although it was more like target practice for him. She wasn't very good, but she had time to get better, or so her Mom kept telling her. _

_The boy flipped onto his stomach and looked at Clary, his skin slightly flushed and his blonde hair ruffling in the breeze. "You okay, Shortie?"_

"_Fine Angel, but you keep beating me." The boy groaned, rolling his eyes at her, and Clary giggled again._

"_Stop calling me Angel! I'm not a girl, I'm a man."_

_Clary snorted, which made her laugh even more. "You're a boy, Angel. The name stays."_

_The boy grumbled under his breath as he got to his feet, and he swung his legs over Clary to help her off the ground, just to drop her back to the floor. She landed with a soft _'oomph', _her face alight with surprise._

_The boy cackled and sprinted away from her. "Catch me Shortie!"_

_Clary jumped up and wiped the grass from her shorts, narrowing her eyes. She took in a deep breath and shouted "I will, Jace Lightwood!"_

I opened my eyes slowly, the water still warm and running over my body. I couldn't have been out for more than a few minutes. I picked myself up off the floor slowly, giving time for my legs to adjust, and only remembering black. But somehow I was certain that _he_ was there at some point. I was sure I'd seen a pair of golden eyes laughing at me before running away, and the name 'Shortie' being shouted at me.

I must be going mad.

I winced at the pain in my head as I shut off the water and dried myself off, getting changed into dark jeans, a green checked blouse and my new grey Converse. I used the towel to dry my hair and fluffed it out with my fingers, before giving up entirely and pulling it back into a ponytail.

My face was really pale as I stared in the mirror, and I widened my eyes with my fingers, poking at the black shadows underneath. I looked like shit.

There was nothing I could do about it, and I decided not to tell Jocelyn about my previous faint. She'd probably take me to a doctor's and have me tested for all sorts of diseases, and who would want that?

I grabbed my phone as I left my bedroom and texted Simon.

_Pandemonium tonight?_ ~C

_Didn't you have enough last night?_ ~S

_Please Si!_ ~C

_Maybe you could talk me into it then..._ ~S

_*Sigh*..._ ~C

_Did you just text *sigh* at me? Who does that?_ ~S

_I do! Fine, I'll pay._ ~C

_What did Jocelyn say to you? You're never like this!_ ~S

_Shut up Lewis. Just take the deal already!_ ~C

_Done._ ~S

I locked my phone and padded down the stairs, collecting myself before I entered the kitchen. Maybe I could ask Jocelyn about the boy aswell, it couldn't hurt to ask.

I shook myself mentally. No doubt if I asked about someone who probably didn't exist, I'd be put in a mental institute straight away.

I stuffed my phone in my jeans pocket and straightened my blouse, before stalking into the kitchen with my head held high.

"Alright Clary, time to face the music."

* * *

**Jace P.O.V.**

I rolled over onto my side and flung my arm out, trying to catch Aline. She'd already left, the bed cold and the covers pushed onto me. I sat up groggily and pushed my hands through my hair, the untamed curls catching in my nails.

I remembered biting Aline's shoulder last night as I took her against the wall, stopping myself from crying out Clary's name. I'd imagined it was her I was caressing, so I didn't throw up in Aline's mouth. The only thing good about the girl was the sex, and hell, I'm not going to complain, because she knew just the right places to touch me to get me to cave in to her every need. It wasn't like I worshipped her. She was there because I could take her whenever the hell I wanted too, no strings attached.

I put my head back on the headboard and smiled slightly, thinking again of Clary. The last time I'd seen her was when I was 14 and she'd told me she was moving away. On my Birthday, the day she broke my heart.

I couldn't blame her, but I'd loved her since that day we first met. Our nicknames had stuck, and I knew that if I ever saw again we would go back to the way we once were; Angel and Shortie, the inseparable pair of friends, so unlikely that we shocked everyone.

I allowed myself to think of the first time Clary had come with her mother to the Institute, when I was just 8 years old. It was one of the earliest and happiest memories I had of the girl with the fiery red hair.

_Jace sprinted to the elevator, his short legs going 100 miles per hour, chased by Izzy and Alec. Maryse followed behind them, a grin etched on her face as she watched her kids jumping about, waiting for their first real friend outside each other._

_Jace was the most excited; Maryse could tell that by the way his eyes shined after she had mentioned Clary coming over at breakfast._

_Just then the elevator dinged, and opened to reveal a tall woman with hair just as read as Clary's. She was dressed in overalls covered in paint and a long sleeved t-shirt. Clary stepped out from behind her and smiled timidly at Maryse before she was smothered by Jace, his arms squeezing the breath out of her._

"_Angel!" she squeaked, a grin appearing on her face. "Lemme go!"_

_Jace pulled back reluctantly and ruffled her hair. "Sorry Shortie."_

_Clary turned her grin on him and turned to hug Izzy and Alec, Jace watching her every move._

_Vaguely, he heard Maryse say to Jocelyn "they'll make a wonderful couple when they're older," but it washed straight over his 8 year old brain. Jace noticed that Clary wasn't into the hugs as much as she normally was, and immediately started to worry about her. She was his little sister; they'd pinkie promised on it just last week._

_He grabbed Clary's hand impatiently, pulling her away from his adopted siblings and dragging her down the hallway away from the group._

"_Are you okay?" he asked her, cocking his head to one side._

_She met his eyes directly and smiled, her eyes shining. "I am now," she whispered, and Jace felt a little lift in his heart that he was too young to understand. _

I shook myself out of the memory, unable to get the picture of her beautiful face out of my head as she looked up at me that day. She had been 7 and I had been 8, but already I was falling in love with the girl I called Shortie.

I still loved her now, that much I knew. I'd never had the decency to move on, always figuring that I'd find her again. But today, my 20th Birthday, it was time for a change. Izzy was planning to go to Pandemonium tonight, one of the regular Shadowhunter hotspots in New York, for my Birthday.

I rolled my neck slightly and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I had to face the fact that I would never see her again. She'd be 18 now, 5 years of her life I hadn't been with her for.

I let myself drown in thoughts of her for a second before flushing them out, along with my caring side. Checklist for tonight: 1) Pandemonium. 2) Fuck Aline so hard she won't be able to feel it in the morning.

I grinned again and looked at myself in the mirror, my skin stretched taut over my Shadowhunter muscles.

"What girl can resist this?"

* * *

**Clary P.O.V. **

Me and Simon stood in the queue for Pandemonium, my knee length black dress blowing slightly in the light breeze, the hem reaching the tips of my calf length black boots. Every day since I was 13 I'd felt that this day had some kind of significance for me, but I couldn't remember what the hell it was, and that damn well got on my nerves.

Simon looked at me closely, and I questioned him with my eyes. He shook his head and smiled.

"So how was Jocelyn this morning?"

"You know, the usual." Simon didn't need to know that Jocelyn had thrown a plate at me this morning and had told me that my antics were getting even worse. Like seriously, what the hell? I should've moved out when I was old enough, but I was still her baby girl. Plus, she was scared stiff of Valentine, and who the fuck could blame her? Me and Jonathon had stayed to protect her from him.

"Ah, so a full blown shouting match then?" Simon said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"You got it," I said, and he rolled his eyes.

"You know, you really should be more... sober, around Jocelyn."

"Shut up, Lewis," I replied sharply, and he cracked up laughing, his 'Game On' t-shirt blowing up at the hem.

The line surged forward then and me and Simon walked into the bar, feeling the beat of the music from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. It felt amazing, exhilarating, the adrenaline pumping around the room, through the speakers and straight into me.

It was one place I could truly be myself, and I loved every minute.

Simon only came with me because he knew I loved it her, and he had some kind of crazy obsession with a girl he'd seen who was 'fit as fuck'. He'd tried pointing her out to me once but I was too drunk to care and had started grinding against the nearest guy.

I took hold of Simon's hand, knowing the music was too loud to talk to him, and we made our way through the crowd of sweaty, dancing bodies up to the bar. I perched on a bar stool and Simon hovered over me protectively, his eyes glancing to the door.

I rolled my eyes and looked up at him. "Just go find her, Lewis," I shouted, and he smiled at me gratefully before disappearing into the crowd.

Who could blame the guy? He'd hardly had any luck with the ladies, and I was hoping this girl could change that. It would be good for him.

Raphael the bartender stepped in front of me and pushed a lager towards me, smiling with his eyes. "Your usual, Miss Morgenstern."

I picked up the bottle and saluted him before taking a sip, the bitter liquid sliding down my throat. "Ready the shots for later, Raphael. It's Sunday night and I'm going all in!"

His smile grew wider and I swung the barstool around to study the mob of dancers, looking for a boy I'd end up dancing with at the end of the night.

I heard Raphael ask someone what their poison was, and I snorted into my lager. Everything was poison here. The club itself was like a drug; sweet and intoxicating, you couldn't get enough.

"Lager please," a male voice replied, and I took a peek in the direction of the noise.

He was sat at the bar, his long legs curled around the stool and clad in dark jeans. My eyes travelled up his body, and I couldn't help but make a low noise of appreciation at his honey tanned skin, muscles covered by a short sleeved white t-shirt and a sleeveless leather jacket. The skin under his t-shirt was visible and covered in dark patterns that I assumed were tattoos, but they made his skin stand out even more. His hair was a golden blonde colour, little curls intruding here and there but they just made him look even sexier, if that was even physically possible.

I took another sip of lager as he cocked his head towards me, a grin etched on the side of his mouth that I could see.

I set my lager down, turning his head away as his made to move, and felt his eyes bore into the side of my head. I returned the grin before looking up at him slowly, meeting gorgeous golden eyes, so gold it made my head spin.

But the jolt of recognition that went through me scared the shit out of me. The sharp planes of his face, the cocky grin, those eyes, that hair...

The boy from my dreams.

He was here.

Right here in front of me.

And the most surprising thing was that his eyes widened in shock, an expression I knew mirrored my own. I was so shocked I barely heard him whisper one word. But I heard it, and it jolted all the way through my body.

"Clary?"

* * *

**So, what do we think? Jace knows who Clary is, but Clary hasn't even seen the boy before, that she can remember anyway!**

**Jace: You know, I don't think this is fair. Why can't she just remember me and we can skip off into the sunset!**

**Me: Keep your shirt on! We'll get to that, maybe.**

**Jace: Do you want me to keep my shirt on?**

**Me: On second thought, maybe not.**

**Jace: Just for you, I'll take it off. You can marvel over my hottness ;)**

**Me: *Swoon***

**So, my Minions! You know exactly what to do!**

**- TheGrandGiftOfSilence**


	4. What Just Happened?

**My, my, my, it has been a long time my beautiful little Minions, and I'm so sorry. I've been so busy with school and what not that I haven't found the time to write!**

**And I say this now, but PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own the Mortal Instruments (as much as I would like to), the characters belong to my idol, Miss Cassandra Clare.**

* * *

**Jace P.O.V.**

Izzy pounded at my bathroom door in frustration. I couldn't tell by the way her fists threatened to break down the wood, but by the very graphic vocabulary she was using.

"Jace, you fucking asshole!" she screeched, and I chuckled as I pulled open the shower curtain and grabbed a fresh towel from the pile. "It may be your fucking Birthday, but you're using all the fucking water and you are NOT the only one who needs a god damn shower in this GOD DAMN HOUSE!"

I rolled my eyes and made a mental note to teach my sister a few more swear words later on.

I wrapped the towel around my hips and opened the door as she was about to commence the pounding again. Her fists were raised and her face was red, so red I thought she was going to bust a gut or something. She'd slung on her pyjamas hurriedly, by the way her top sleeves rested on her arms instead of her shoulders and showed a nice amount of stomach.

Come on, she's not my real sister. She's a girl, I'm a boy, do the math.

I leaned against the doorway and looked at her, lifting one eyebrow.

Her eyes travelled down my body, not even widening at the sight of only a towel covering my man parts. I felt a smirk dance across my mouth as she looked back up at my face, anger flashing in her face.

I gestured to my body with a sweeping motion. "See anything you like?"

"Cut the crap, Jace," Izzy replied, a glint of annoyance passing through her dark eyes. "I am so not in the mood."

"Someone's a little crabby," I said, and lowered my head to hers to whisper in her ear. "Did you enjoy your shower?"

She pushed on my chest, her wet, raven black hair whipping my face as she shook her head in disbelief, drops of water sliding onto my face.

"You haven't had to train all day, and I'm meeting up with someone tonight. Someone a hell of a lot nicer than you!" She pinched the bridge of her nose and breathed in deeply through her mouth. She knew that I knew how to push her buttons, and she let me because that meant she had a reason to retaliate.

And boy, did she love to pick a fight.

"We have less than an hour before we have to leave for Pandemonium. Jace Lightwood, I am going to fucking kill you if I'm not ready before then!" she hissed, pressing her chest against mine without flinching.

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied. "But you'll have to remember that some boys like a girl with a bit of sweat on her. Maybe this dude is like me." I winked at her. Izzy's face went from angry to furious, and as she opened her mouth to launch a tirade of very naughty words at me, I put my finger on her lips and shook my head, keeping my expression neutral. "Ah, ah, ah, your shower waits."

She glared at me before turning away, marching across to my bedroom door and slamming the door behind her.

I burst out laughing. Izzy was a huge drama queen, but she sure as hell could pack a punch, and with the amount of dead demons in her past it was easily proved. She hadn't killed as many as I had, but she had a fair few under her belt.

Getting out a pair of boxers from my drawer, I let the towel drop from around my waist and onto the floor. I pulled them on quickly, in case Izzy decided to walk in unannounced again, and dragged on a pair of black jeans over them. My belt was nowhere to be seen.

I swept the floor with my eyes, looking for a hint of metal belt buckle. Giving up, I turned to my drawers and ran my hands through each one without any luck. I moved the chest away from the wall, and grinned in triumph as I spotted my belt sandwiched between the wood and the wall. Grabbing it, I pushed the chest back and knocked something off it by accident.

"Shit," I muttered, pulling the belt through the loops on my jeans as I bent down the pick the picture up. I turned it over in my hands, the sharp edges cutting into my skin, and smiled at the flash of red.

It was a picture of me, Clary, Izzy and Alec at Clary's 9th Birthday. I had my arm around her shoulder, fighting to get closer to her than Alec was. Izzy was holding Clary in a bear hug from behind, smiling at the camera. Clary looked almost shy, the attention almost proving too much for her, apart from the happy gleam in her eyes and the small smile on her face.

It was one of those memories that I had felt the need to hold on to, even though it was almost 10 years ago.

I sat on my bed, the mattress sinking slightly, and sighed as the memory dragged me under.

"_Jace, look at the camera!"_

_Clary laughed and poked Jace in the arm, before pointing to where Maryse was stood with the camera. Jace scowled, but turned away from Clary and draped an arm across her shoulders._

_Alec had his arm around Clary's back and Isabelle's were clinging on to her neck. She looked very uncomfortable, and kept squirming under the pressure._

_Jace squeezed her and bent to whisper in her ear._

"_What you worried about Shortie?"_

"_Nothing," she replied, forcing a smile as a flash came from the camera._

"_Brilliant!" Maryse said, a grin appearing on her face. "You guys should take pictures more often, this one turned out really good!"_

_Jace was scowling at the back of Clary's head as she was laughing with Alec, Izzy playing with a few strands of her hair and pretending to yawn, a huge grin on her face._

_He wasn't sure what was wrong with Clary, but he was determined to find out, because he knew that she was the most amazing girl he'd ever met and he wanted to stay friends with her._

_And best friends told each other everything._

_Jace grabbed hold of Clary's arm and dragged her away from Alec, her protesting all the way and shouting an apology to Alec and Izzy as they watched, confused expressions on their faces._

_Clary dug her heels in the ground as they moved out of earshot and glared at Jace, who let her go quickly at the expression she made._

"_What are you doing, Angel?" she asked._

_Jace sat down on the grass and patted the space next to him, tilting his head up to look at the night sky. He felt Clary sit next to him after a few moments, and the tension left his body so quick that he didn't realise it was there at all._

"_What's wrong, Clary?"_

_She twisted her hands and looked at Jace from the corner of her eye, before sighing and tilting her head back, just like Jace had._

"_Mom and Dad had another argument last night. He hit her, and Jon tried to stop him. Dad hit him too, then broke a bottle and shoved it in my face. He told me not to say anything."_

_Jace put an arm round Clary's shoulder and pulled her into him, tucking her head under his chin. "It's what runes are for, Shortie."_

"_We're not allowed to use them at home. Dad's the only one with a stele, and he keeps it hidden. Anyway, I like the scars. Proof I've lived through another battle."_

_Jace looked at Clary, hurt flashing in his face. "But no one should have to live like that! Clary, you're saying this like it's a good thing!" She shook her head violently and opened her mouth to speak, but Jace silenced her. "You're scared of him, Clary. You don't really want the scars. And if there was anything I could do, I'd do it."_

_Clary sighed and buried herself closer to Jace. "Promise me something, Angel."_

"_Anything."_

"_Promise we'll stay friends?"_

_Jace held out his little finger and Clary hooked her own around his. "Pinkie promise."_

I heard a knock at the door and sighed, getting up to replace the picture.

"Come in," I shouted, turning to my wardrobe and pulling out a white t-shirt.

That memory was so insignificant when it happened, but later on it grew to be one of the most important of my life. It just took me too long to realise what she meant when we were little. Maybe I just ignored it because I was too young then.

"Earth to Jace!"

I smiled slightly and turned to look at Alec. His black hair was stuck up around his head messily and he was still wearing his Shadowhunter outfit.

"Ahh, Alec, back from the boyfriend's I see!"

Alec scowled at me. He knew I liked to tease him about his gayness. It passed the time.

"So, what's up with Our Royal Gayness number 2?" I asked casually, sitting back on the edge of my bed and pulling on my Shadowhunter boots. Hey, they were comfy, and practical.

"He's fine, Jace." Alec replied with gritted teeth, leaning against the door with one arm behind his back, staring at me. Probably telling me with his eyes to shut up. But that so totally wasn't my style.

Our Royal Gayness number 2 was Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and a man with more glitter than the whole of the USA put together.

"Touchy touchy," I said, wagging a finger in Alec's direction. "It's perfectly normal for your brother to ask what's going on between you and your boyfriend. I have to ask about things to make sure he's the right _girl_ for you after all. Isn't that supposed to be the brother's job?" I grinned and raised an eyebrow at him inquiringly.

Alec shook his head at me and stepped back from the door, his hand on the knob. "Always nice talking to you, _parabatai_. Just making sure you were ready. And Happy Birthday, by the way."

He tossed a parcel onto my bed and my eyes widened in surprise. "I thought we agreed," I said, eyeing the parcel like it was a ticking time bomb.

"It wasn't my idea," Alec said, shrugging his shoulders. "Magnus picked it out."

I groaned. "It's not going to be pink and fluffy and... _glittery_, is it?"

Alec looked at me pointedly, and then at the box. "Just open it Jace," he said, and then he walked out shutting the door so it slammed on its hinges.

"Touchy," I muttered again, before pulling the box towards me. It felt light, and I pulled off the tape slowly, expecting a glitter explosion that would magically transform my room into something only suitable for Alec and Magnus to make gay love in. Like their sexual paradise... _Oh, no. You do not want to go down that road, Jace_, I thought, shaking my head slightly to clear the mental images.

I attacked the box with more force this time, and was surprised to see a sleeveless leather jacket unfold from the crepe paper Magnus had stuffed the box with.

I picked it up and felt the material, before shrugging it on over my white t-shirt.

It reminded me of Clary. We'd first started dating when I was 13, and I'd given her my jacket to wear at school. I'd told her to keep it. It had looked better on her than it had on me.

I smiled slightly, and grabbed my phone from my dresser, flipping open the picture of me and Clary that was taken before she left me.

She would have changed so much by now. She would have had 1000 other boyfriends who could have made her happier than I ever could. She'd be stronger from the training her Mom would have given her, and she'd be fighting demons wherever she went, finally standing up to her Dad.

I shook my head and slipped my stele and a dagger into my boot, before pushing my phone into the dark recesses of my pocket. I wouldn't think about her tonight.

I opened my door and shouted Alec and Izzy as I walked down the hall, letting them know I'd wait for them both outside.

I was never going to see Clary again. And I felt like a lovesick teenager, pining over a girl I couldn't have.

I reached the elevator of the Institute and pressed the button, listening to the clanging sound as it travelled up the shaft. Clary was one girl. She was a girl I used to know. _Just somebody that I used to know_.

The doors to the elevator opened in front of me and I stepped inside, leaving the memories of Clary behind me.

* * *

"Come _on_, Alec!" Izzy sighed, tapping her foot impatiently against the concrete.

"Well, Iz, I don't really fancy being attacked by demons tonight, do you?" Alec replied casually, waving the Sensor around.

Izzy huffed and turned away, her long black hair swaying slightly. I had to say, she looked like a huntress in her blood red cocktail dress and calf high boots, her whip curved round the length of her arm which gave the impression that a snake was winding itself around her.

"Nothing here," Alec said, carefully slipping the Sensor into the back pocket of his light jeans.

"So we will be partying tonight?" I asked in a bored tone, watching as a red-headed girl and a taller brown-haired boy walked into the club, my eyes focusing on the girls incredible ass.

"I should hope so!" Izzy said, tossing her head and stalking to the front of the queue. Me and Alec followed behind her, laughing silently at her 'superiority'.

We reached the guard at the door to the entrance of the club and showed him our permanent eye runes on the back of our hands. He nodded once and let us inside, the strobe lighting blinding me for a minute as my eyes adjusted.

Pandemonium was a popular Shadowhunter spot. Half the teenagers that came here were Shadowhunters who knew all about our world, some Downworlders, some were demons, and others were humans who were very stupid to realise how much danger they were in as soon as they stepped inside the door.

Izzy weaved her way into the crowd straight away, obviously looking for someone. Probably her date. Izzy was very popular with the boys, and with a body like that and a pretty face to go with it, I wasn't surprised.

Alec tapped my shoulder once and followed Izzy into the crowd, leaving me to fend for myself. I sighed, trying to convince myself that it was actually my Birthday and the place was full of gorgeous, scantily-clad Shadowhunter girls who would fall to my knees with one look from me.

I knew I was hot.

I pushed through the dancing bodies, making my way to the bar. I needed alcohol in me before the fun could really begin.

I reached the bar and leaned on a stool as the bartender served a girl next to me. Then he came over, wiping a glass, and said, "What's your poison?"

I saw the girl smile slightly out of the corner of my eye, obviously hearing the bartender's comment. I smirked and cocked my head her way, making a faint blush appear on her cheeks without her realisation.

Oh, this was going to be _fun_.

"Lager, please," I replied, and the bartender pushed a fresh one down the bar towards me, condensation dripping off the glass. Drinking slowly, I took a look at the girl next to me out of the corner of my eye.

It was the girl with the amazing ass I was admiring before we entered the club. She was short, it was easy to tell. She was wearing knee-length black boots and a black dress that hugged her figure in all the right places. It was strapless, too, which meant she either wasn't wearing a bra, or it was going to be one that I could get off very easily. Her neck was curved slightly to the side, the lighting in the club tracing patterns on her pale skin.

But it was her red hair that gave me the interest in her. She reminded me of Clary, her fiery curls almost impossible to tame.

I turned back to my drink and felt her gaze on me, and I didn't turn until she'd had her fill. She tilted her head slightly, and I turned to face her, arms crossed over my chest.

Then she looked at me.

My mind couldn't grasp what I was seeing. The small face, the light dusting of freckles across her nose that always seemed like a part of her, the full lips I'd wanted to kiss so many times, but never got the courage to.

And more importantly, the emerald green eyes that were widened in absolute shock, a look I'm sure my own face mirrored back at her. I'd recognize those eyes anywhere.

You see, this girl didn't just _remind_ me of Clary. She _was _Clary._ My Clary._

_Clarissa Morgernstern._

She was back, and I wasn't dreaming.

"Clary?"

* * *

**A/N The story will now be continued in the Third Person.**

* * *

A thousand emotions passed through Clary's bright eyes and Jace took them in. Shock, surprise, recognition, desire, love...

And then a wall slammed down in front of him, and all he could see was a frightened look on her face, one that he never expected to see.

She opened and closed her mouth slowly before speaking, glancing towards where Raphael was serving a group of four teenage boys at the opposite end of the bar.

"How the hell do you know my name?"

Her voice sounded a little different to how Jace remembered. It had hardened slightly, no longer the carefree tone he'd once got after every question, in every conversation. She'd changed so much that he...

Wait, _WHAT?_ He thought, looking back at her pale features. Was it...? It couldn't be.

Jace stared at Clary, his mind going into overdrive. "You don't remember me?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Clary shook her head convincingly, her expression turning from frightened to mere curiosity. "I'd remember someone like you. You're obviously not forgotten by anyone else." She gestured towards his chest. "But that still doesn't explain how the hell you know who I am. Did we have a quickie in one of the store rooms when I was drunk once?..."

Jace was horrified. It was true; Clary didn't know who he was. What he didn't know was how it was possible, and why it had to happen on a day like this.

Clary was still talking. "...Because I've been getting drunk a lot lately. Or have you been stalking me? Is Maia behind all this? If she is I am going to kill her, I told her I didn't want a boyfriend. Look, I'm really not interested, so if you'll excuse me, Angel-"

"What did you call me?"

Clary had slipped off the stool and was stood in front of Jace now, him looking up to see her more clearly. He'd grabbed hold of her wrist when she'd called him Angel, with no idea why. It was more like a reflex action, and the fact that he didn't want her to leave.

"Erm... Angel... I think... why?" Clary asked, startled at the sudden contact Jace had made with her skin.

"Why don't you remember me?" Jace mouthed at her, sadness and disbelief clear on his face.

Clary looked at Jace like he was insane. Her eyes were darting round, clearly afraid now.

"Look, Angel, I think you have the wrong girl," she said, her eyes not meeting Jace's. He took the opportunity to look at her hand, which was clean. No runes. And the permanent rune was _supposed_ to be permanent. "And I'm really sorry if my friend put you up to this, but she's all sorts of mad."

Jace shook himself mentally. It was obvious Clary couldn't remember him that something had made her forget against her will, and he knew that even in the dim flashing lights of the Pandemonium Club, that it was really Clary. "I'm sorry," he heard himself say, his mouth taking a mind of its own. "You remind me of someone who used to call me Angel, Shortie." He looked into her eyes, and saw recognition flash in them again at her old nickname before the iciness overtook it.

He sighed and let go of her arm which she rubbed gently, smiling sympathetically at him. "I have to go. Maia has a whole lot to explain."

Jace smiled thinly back at her. "Yeah, she does."

"Well, I better go and find my friend." She smoothed her hands down her dress, dragging them over invisible creases, before sticking her hand out towards Jace. "It was nice to meet you, Angel."

"Jace," he said, trying to keep his tone light, but knowing that this meeting was something he wouldn't ever forget. He took her hand, his skin burning at the contact of being so close to the girl he loved.

She let go quickly, covering it up with a smile. "Bye, Jace." She gave him a slight wave before turning into the throng of moving shadows, Jace watching her as she left. He sagged against the bar, head in his hands.

He didn't understand anything. _How is this possible?_ he thought. _Here I was, thinking I'd never see her again and finally starting to move on, while she's been in New York for so long and couldn't _remember.

Jace felt sick. He wanted to find Clary, hold her in his arms and never let go.

Instead, he pushed out his stool, downed the lager in a few gulps, and made his way into the crowd. He felt someone grab him, and then a blonde appeared in his arms, grinding against his sensitive area and dipping low. He grabbed her waist and started to move his hips with hers, feeling nothing but emptiness.

All he wanted was a distraction. Something to make him forget.

Because Clary would never know that when she walked away from him that night, she'd left him trying to repair another broken heart caused by her.

* * *

_***Hides in a corner with a bulletproof vest***_

**So that's Chapter 4! Yey! It took ages to do, and I promise, my little Minions, that the story has so much further to go yet!**

**Jace: Aww, thanks. Giving me the entire spotlight.**

**Me: You're lucky, asshole.**

**Jace: Language, dear. My hot looks are just too much for you to handle and you don't realise what's coming out of that pretty little mouth of yours.**

**Me: *Launches into a tirade of swearing.***

**Jace: *Takes his shirt off.* Happy?**

**Me: *Major swoon.* HELL YES!**

**So, you know what to do my Minions! REVIEW! :D**

**- TheGrandGiftOfSilence**


	5. Fantasies

**Well, my gorgeous Minions. How are things?**

**I'm not happy with the fact that I only got two reviews on my last Chapter. I feel like I have no motivation to write this story anymore, even though both reviews told me to keep writing. It doesn't take long to write a few words about what you think, so please, PLEASE review!**

**I wanted to update before I go away tomorrow, so I'm sorry that this chapter isn't as long as I would like it to be. I've been so busy with the last few weeks at school and being in London that I haven't found the time to update. Sorry!**

**Thankyou for all the favourites and to all the people who are getting story alerts. I love you my Minions!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMI. There, I said it. Happy now? _*Cries hysterically because I don't own TMI* _**

**Anyway, onto the story.**

* * *

**Clary P.O.V.**

Clary pushed her way through the mass of sweaty bodies, her palm still tingling from the electricity that had coursed through her when she'd took Jace's hand. She was confused and frightened, but mostly curious as to why the boy with the beautiful golden eyes knew her name and no one in her memory came close to looking like he did.

He was beautiful, it was true. And it was so obvious that he knew it. He had the slight cocky smirk, arrogant face and a stance that said '_I'm sexy and you know it'_.

And, oh, did she know it.

She didn't know him, she was certain of that. But when her eyes had met with his she couldn't help the feeling of recognition at the back of her mind, before it disappeared entirely.

Clary reached the end of the crowd and desperately looked around for Simon, sweat plastering tiny wisps of red hair onto her forehead. It was way too hot tonight, and meeting Jace hadn't helped her cool off at all.

She made her way over to the wall and pressed her back against it, so she wouldn't be stepped on by the dancing mass in front of her. She kept turning her head, searching the crowd for Simon. Clary didn't think it would be this hard to find a boy who stuck out like a sore thumb in his glasses and nerdy gamer t-shirt, when everyone else around her were wearing skimpy clothes, tight jeans and dresses.

She gave up looking for him and thought about Sebastian instead. He was her perfect boyfriend, not really a gentleman, but kind and caring nonetheless. She thought about their first kiss, after he'd walked her home one night after a movie. His lips on hers, moving perfectly in sync. She touched her fingers to her lips and wondered what Jace's lips would feel like against hers; warm and soft, but hard as well, demanding maybe...

Just then someone smacked straight into her, and even though pain was radiating in her forehead where the person had decided to bump heads with her, she found herself glad of the pain. It broke off her train of thought, and, man, were they getting a bit far-fetched. She could almost feel Jace with her, kissing her softly...

"OHMIGOD, Clary, I sowry!"

Clary shook her head, clearing away all the thoughts of golden boy, and smacked her palms on her forehead like she was trying to scare them away. Then she looked at the figure who had walked into her carelessly, and blinked in surprise.

"Simon?"

Simon was swaying gently from side to side on his feet, and his glasses rested crookedly across his nose. His brown hair was even messier than it was before, if that was even possible, and his deep brown eyes had an excited gleam in them.

_No_, Clary thought. _Not an excited gleam. A __**drunken**__ one._

Simon Lewis was drunk.

Clary burst out laughing. The idea seemed so ridiculous that it made her forget about Jace and the pain radiating from her forehead as she looked at him, grinning like a fool.

Simon was the one who came with Clary, because he knew Clary liked it here. And Simon was always the one who took Clary home because he never got drunk, and she did.

"Wha's funny?" he slurred, cocking his head to one side to see Clary better. "Is the somthin on mi face?"

"Oh Simon," Clary said, smiling as she patted her friend on the shoulder, trying to reign in the laughter at his face. "You've got one hell of a date in the morning."

"Yeah, with the toilet."

Clary turned her head slightly and caught sight of a tall girl she hadn't noticed before. She had long, glossy black hair that reached her hips and long legs that made Clary feel even more like an elf. She was a lot taller than Clary, and she guess that she would be without heels on too.

"Ooo, Clary, this Izzy, she's looked afer mi."

Clary grinned again at Simon and held out her hand to Izzy. "Clarissa Morgernstern. Thanks for taking care of my friend."

Izzy took her hand and smiled lightly. "It's fine, he was my date anyway."

But Clary barely heard her words. Her palm was tingling with recognition again and it was starting to freak her out. But as she looked into Izzy's dark eyes, she saw the same thing reflected back at her.

"What did you say your name was again?" Izzy asked, her eyes wide and confusion covering her face.

"Erm, Clary Morgernstern," Clary stammered, shocked by the way Izzy was looking at her.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment, and then Izzy squealed and launched herself at Clary with all the force of an extremely fast jet plane, leaving Simon rocking backwards on his heels.

Izzy's arms were around Clary's neck, and Clary felt like she couldn't breathe. She also had no idea why a stranger was hugging her like they were old friends.

She kept her arms by her sides and tried to shrug Izzy off of her with her shoulders. It felt like forever when Izzy finally let go of her and she could breathe again.

Izzy was bouncing up and down and laughing and Clary just stood there watching her like she was a psycho.

Izzy finally realised that Clary wasn't joining in with her celebratory dance and she stopped, still smiling as she looked at Clary. "It's really you. Jace is going to be so happy, just you wai-"

"Jace?" Clary interrupted, shocked at the mention of his name.

"Yes, Jace, the one who loves you and the boy who's heart you broke?"

Clary shook her head in bewilderment. "Who's put you up to this? Jace said it was-"

"You've seen him?" Izzy asked, dropping her hands down to her sides after all her excited clapping. "What'd he say?"

_I don't see why it's any of your business really,_ Clary thought stonily, but didn't say it. Instead she said, "What's your name?"

Izzy looked at her blankly and pointed at her face. "Isabelle Lightwood, duh!"

Clary felt her eyes widen slightly as she took in the sight of the chaotic girl who claimed to know her. "Look, I really don't know who you are. And I already know that Maia put you up to this because Jace told me, okay?"

Izzy's jaw dropped and her whole body wilted slightly, like a flower without any water. "You're kidding me," she said quietly, and Clary had to lean towards her so she could hear her speak over the pounding of the music in the club.

"No, I'm not," Clary replied, exasperated. "Look, I'm really sorry, but I've got to get Simon home. I don't know what you did to him, but he doesn't look too good."

Izzy still stared at Clary, her stance rigid. When Clary didn't get a reply she turned around and grabbed Simon by the wrist, and started to pull him towards the entrance.

Izzy blinked once and launched herself at Clary, latching on to her arm and pulling her around to face her.

"I promise we'll figure this out, Clary. We will, I _promise _you."

Clary pulled away from Izzy in disgust at the contact, and got a better grip on Simon before she pushed through the crowd, away from Izzy.

She couldn't help but think about her strange night as she and Simon stepped out into the chilly air. Two people who obviously knew her, but who she had absolutely no recollection of whatsoever. It was strange, and Clary was weirded out by it.

Simon stopped in the street and threw up in a bush at the side of the path. Clary turned her head away so she didn't have to watch, and thought about what Izzy had said to her as she left Pandemonium.

"_I promise we'll figure this out."_

But Clary had no idea what they were trying to figure out, a little voice in the back of her head that wasn't hers laughing at her, and Clary could make out three words amidst the noise.

_Good luck, Isabelle._

* * *

**So, my little Minions, I apologise that this chapter isn't as long as the others, but I promise to write some while I'm sunning away in Greece, and it will be longer than all of them.**

**Well, this chapter was really just a filler, but I wanted to bring Izzy in a bit more and it gives a bit more suspense to the story don't you think?**

**Jace: I don't. You didn't mention me.**

**Izzy: Oh shut up, asshole. You're jealous because I got the spotlight.**

**Jace: Come here Izzy. I want to show you something.**

**Izzy: Like hell I will!**

**Me: If you're going to chase her, at least take your top off, Jace.**

***Izzy and Jace look at me***

**Me: No? Okay then. It was worth a shot.**

**So you know what to do my little Minions! REVIEW!**

**- TheGrandGiftOfSilence**


	6. Angels and Lies

**I'm back, my wonderful Minions!**

**Greece was fabulous. Corfu is easily one of the most beautiful places on planet Earth, and if you've never been and you have the chance to go, you'll love it. It's amazing.**

**Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed my story. I came back from my hol and read them all, and never felt something like that while I was reading all your comments. You guys put way too much faith in me, but I am continuing, and this story will continue to the end!**

**So instead of making you jealous with tales of beaches and tanned skin and 41 degree heat, we'll go straight to the story ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments. The story belongs to the wonderful Miss Cassandra Clare, and she has not approved this story in any way. _*Breaks down crying because I don't own TMI*_  
**

* * *

**Jace P.O.V.**

"But how can she not remember?!"

Jace lifted his head up from the table wearily and glared at his annoying adoptive sister. "For the thousandth time, Izzy, I don't know!"

"I promised we'd figure it out. But how can we figure something out that can't possibly exist?" Izzy shook her head frantically, then stopped and stared at the table, placing her hands on the wood lightly. "That poor girl. She must have been scared stiff when I hugged her."

Jace said nothing, but felt exactly the same as Izzy. He'd grabbed her and said her name, assuming she hadn't forgotten him. But yet she'd been the same stubborn girl she always was and left with a few words that broke Jace's heart just a little more. She must have been frightened; Izzy was right.

"Maryse, please, you must know something about this," Jace said desperately, holding his head in his hands.

Earlier that morning Izzy had stormed into Jace's room, pulling off his covers and shouting words at him so fast that he only caught a few of them.

"Pandemonium... Clary... no runes... family meeting... NOW JACE!"

Now they were sat at the long table in the dining room of the Institute, Izzy, Jace, Alec and Maryse, discussing Clary's impossible forgetfulness of her Shadowhunter heritage and the disturbing disappearance of her runes.

Maryse sat at the head of the table, her chin resting on her linked fingers, Alec and Izzy on either side of her. "I wish I did Jace. But there's nothing I know of that could help Clary. This is something that's never been heard of in the history of the Clave, and I honestly wish I could help, but I don't know what you'd have me do." She spread her hands out helplessly at Jace's harsh stare. "I'm sorry Jace. Maybe it's better for Clary this way."

"Don't say that Maryse. There couldn't be an even worse way. You know how it was between us, I can't lose her now. I've only just found her again."

Jace looked down at his hands and felt the eyes of his family on him. He'd never spoken like that in front of them before, never. This was a different side to him that he'd hoped he'd never have to show to anyone but Clary. But what did it matter now? He'd seen her and he couldn't have her back without having to start all over again, and he didn't think he could do that. He couldn't survive losing everything he'd once had with her.

Alec broke the uncomfortable silence. "What about Magnus?" he asked, leaning forward slightly in his seat. "It's something we've never seen, but Magnus has lived a lot longer than the rest of us. It may be possible that he's seen something like this before."

"Why does everything have to involve your glittery boyfriend?" Jace snapped, returning from his vulnerable state.

Alec didn't even flinch. "Jace, I missed Clary too, and I want her back just as much as you want her back." He leaned back slightly as Jace's face darkened. "Maybe a bit less than you, but I still want her back where she belongs."

"And of course, Magnus is always the answer. I have to sit and watch you and him prance around like the perfect couple you are, while my perfect half can't even remember who I am!"

Jace was on his feet, fists clenched at his sides and his head down, feeling his pent up anger wash through him.

"You know, I like vulnerable Jace a lot better than this one," Izzy muttered, her eyes flicking from Jace to Alec and back.

"Shut up Izzy," Jace spat, turning to face her. "You're no better. I have to be there whilst your dates are all over you. You don't know how lucky you are to have that, and yet you act like nothing but a slut!"

Izzy stood up suddenly, uncoiling her whip from around her arm, eyes narrowed. "Say that again."

"Enough!" Maryse shouted, slamming her hands onto the hard wood. "Izzy, put your whip away. NOW. Jace, go outside and cool down. I'll come and find you later."

Jace stared at Izzy a moment longer before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

As he walked the length of the dining room, he heard Maryse say, "He's in a dangerous place."

And Izzy replied, "We need to get Clary back as soon as possible. Before he goes insane."

Jace shut the door loudly behind him, blocking out Izzy's words. He knew they were only trying to help him, but they would never know what he was going through. No one could.

Jace had always thought he and Clary had an unbreakable bond, one that could withstand anything. And they had that, he knew they did. But seeing her again had resurfaced old, painful memories of when they were younger, and that made Jace angrier than he'd ever been.

He found himself in the training room, and before he knew it he had wrapped cloth around his hands and was firing left and right hooks at the punchbag, seeing how long it would take him to punch it right off of its hook.

As he punched the bag rapidly, he allowed himself to think of that day when Clary had left him. Not that thinking about it would give him any release, but because he would be thinking about her, his fiery red headed angel.

_"Jace?"_

_Jace grunted a reply, Clary curled into his side on the sofa in the Institute._

_"Happy 14th."_

_Jace smiled and sat up so he could see Clary's face better. "Thanks Shortie."_

_"Wouldn't you have rather done something for your Birthday, instead of just spending the day with me?" she asked after a pause._

_"I'd spend every day with you if I could. But I can't, so I guess I don't get my Birthday wish." Jace grinned at Clary._

_She looked up at him and smiled sadly. "I'm really sorry, Angel."_

_"What for?"_

_"I don't know how to tell you." Her eyes were shiny._

_Jace pulled Clary closer, alarmed. He rubbed her arms through her thin long sleeved t-shirt. "Hey, what's wrong?"_

_"I don't want to leave you!" She cried, the first tears beginning to fall. Jace pulled her into him and hugged her._

_"It's okay. I promise you. It'll all be okay."_

_He kept a hold of her until she relaxed in her arms, and he pulled back slightly to see she had fallen asleep on him, unshed tears still glistening on her eyelashes. Her breathing was soft, and he slid his thumb over her cheek before laying her down on the sofa pillows. He watched her until he fell asleep too._

_The next morning, Jace woke up sprawled out on the sofa to find Clary gone and a note in her place. He sat up, straightened his clothes and ran a hand through his hair, before reading through the note, his heart breaking a little bit over every word._

_**Angel,**  
_

_**I didn't know how to tell you. How do you tell someone you've known forever, someone you've always trusted since you were 5 years old.**_

_**Remember that day we came up with our nicknames for each other? Who'd have thought they would have stuck with us for 8 years. And hopefully, they will in the future too.**_

_**I don't want to leave you, Jace. But it's Valentine's choice. We have to move away from here. I don't want to go, but I know if I stay here to see you wake up it would've made it that much harder to say goodbye.**_

_**I'm so sorry Jace. I'm sorry your Birthday wish can't come true.**_

_**Shortie.**_

_Jace couldn't move, couldn't breathe. This had to be a joke, right? It wasn't real. Clary was playing with him. She had to be. She wouldn't just leave him. Not now. _

_That was how Jace found himself stood outside the empty Morgernstern house 20 minutes later, Clary's note crumpled in his fist._

_She'd left him. It was real. The pain he felt in his chest was real._

The pain in Jace's hand pulled himself out of the memory with a jolt. he looked down at his hand, surprised at the red liquid trickling through his split knuckle. He unwrapped his hands carefully, not bothering to wipe the blood off. Then he sat on the bench and put his head down.

He hadn't expected the workout to ease any of his anger, and it hadn't. It had built up his need to see Clary again. Knowing she was so close, somewhere near where he lived, made the ache grow ever stronger.

He needed to get out for a bit, get some fresh air. Maybe even see Aline, as repulsive as the idea sounded to him. Or kill some demons down near Pandemonium. They always seemed to hang out around there more than anywhere else. It was the reason he, Alec and Izzy went there so much. He just needed a distraction.

He ran to his room and changed quickly, slipping a seraph blade and his stele into his boots. He jumped out the window and landed lightly on the ground, sure it would summon Maryse if he used the elevator to get out the front door.

Then he began to walk, with no direction, in a world where he was covered in runes and no one could see him.

* * *

**Clary P.O.V.**

Sunday's were Clary's bad days. They almost always ended up with a family argument at the end of the day, and sometime it would get a little bit hectic. A few broken ornaments, plates, maybe. Or a lot.

She sat at the kitchen counter, a bowl of cereal in front of her and her sketchpad resting on her knee, abandoned. She was too busy thinking about Jace and that weird girl Isabelle from Pandemonium.

She was still crazily weirded out by Isabelle's creepy promise to her, and how Jace's face had looked when she walked away from him. She knew them; she had to in some way. Maybe her Mom knew their parents. It was possible. But it couldn't have had anything to do with Maia. She'd spoken to the girl that morning and she had said she didn't know anyone called Jace or Isabelle, and if he was hot Clary should 'so totally see him again.' Clary had rolled her eyes at that. Trust Maia to get straight to the 'fit boy' part.

Maybe Simon had told them something. He was obviously seeing Isabelle, if last night was anything to go by. But he had Maia on the go too. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Clary laid her head down on the table and closed her eyes. She debated whether or not to call Simon and tell him about Jace, but she knew he'd still be sleeping off his hangover.

Serves him right for dating a crazy black haired girl.

"Hey, Clare."

Clary shot up off the table and shoved a spoonful of cereal in her mouth, watching her brother Jonathon as he delved inside the fridge.

She swallowed quickly, almost choking on the cereal. "Oh thank God," she sighed. "I thought you were Dad."

"Really Clare? There are two reasons why that's not possible on a Sunday morning as bright as this," Jonathon replied, his voice muffled by the fridge door.

Clary cocked her head to one side. "And what, pray tell, is that?"

Jonathon shut the fridge door and poured himself a glass of milk, before turning to face Clary, leaning against the counter. "One, because it is Sunday, and Dad never gets out of his coffin before 12 at least." Clary giggled. "And two, because my beautiful voice can never be mistaken for our Father's." He smiled innocently at Clary.

"Okay, I get it!" Clary said, laughing. "You are so full of yourself, Jon."

"You made me that way, Clare-Bear," he replied, draining half of his milk. Clary grinned and turned her attention back to her cereal.

Valentine had never paid any attention to Clary. She'd always thought he didn't want a daughter. He still fought with Jocelyn, but Clary had learned to cope with it and didn't go to comfort her Mother until Valentine had gone out or he was asleep.

But Valentine absolutely adored Jonathon. Clary knew that Jon only insulted their Father because it made her feel better, and because Jon still held a grudge against the beatings when the both of them were younger.

He wasn't the best Father a kid could wish for, but you couldn't choose your family.

Clary looked back at her brother, studying his face. "Why haven't you moved out yet, Jon?" she asked around a mouthful of cereal.

Jon shrugged. "You need me. Besides, why would I give up a room when I don't have to pay rent?"

"I get that, but you're 20 years old now! You should be out meeting girls and partying all through the night and struggling to pay rent and college and all that!"

Jon laughed, watching Clary struggle to get her breath after her rant. "Look, Clare, I can't just leave you and Mom like this. Dad's getting better, but I'm not leaving the house until he's totally normal. What if I'm over at college in a class, daydreaming about a totally fit girl while Dad's trashing the place here? I couldn't live with myself if that happened and I wasn't here to protect you."

Clary huffed and leaned back on the stool, crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you saying I can't protect myself?"

Jon shook his head. "I'm not saying that, I'm saying you can't protect Mom too."

"Jonathon, I don't want to worry about you giving up on your life just to protect me and Mom. I've got enough problems without adding that huge one to my list. I mean, there's Simon and Maia's on-again-off-again relationship, while he's seeing another girl called Isabelle at Pandemonium. Then there's school, art, freaky dreams, and this really weird boy called Jace I-"

"Who?" Jonathon's head shot up at the mention of Jace's name, his eyes dark. Clary narrowed her own green ones suspiciously.

"This boy called Jace I met at Pandemonium last night. He knew who I was, apparently." Clary saw a dark flash in Jon's eyes, and fought the urge to back away from him. He looked, with no other way to say it, dangerous.

"What's he look like?" he asked calmly.

"Blonde hair, golden eyes, tall. Like, really tall. And hot."

Jonathon didn't reply. His eyes were studying the counter, refusing to look at Clary.

"Do you know him, Jon?" Clary asked carefully, watching her brother closely.

Jon shook his head slightly and caught Clary's eye, plastering a smile back on his face. "Nope," he replied, popping the 'p'. "Never heard of him. Maybe it was Simon's idea of a joke."

"Maybe," Clary mumbled, pushing away the forgotten bowl of cereal and grabbing her sketchpad, not taking her eyes off Jon. Every inch of her screamed that he was lying to her, and he never lied. Not to her anyway.

Jon drained the rest of his milk and slammed the glass down on the counter. "I gotta run Clare. Things to do, people to see."

Clary forced a smile and waved to her brother, watching him walk out the kitchen. Then she put her head in her hands on the table and sighed.

Why was her brother lying to her? He knew who Jace was; it was obvious from his reaction when Clary had mentioned the golden eyed boy. She couldn't see Jon setting her up with a boy, it just wasn't his style. And Jace must have been about Jon's age at least. Silly, really, because she was two years younger than Jon.

She sighed again and stood up, then she slid her bowl into the sink. _Jon wouldn't do something like this_, she thought, as she waited for the spray of water to warm up. But she couldn't shake the feeling that Jon did know Jace. Clary was never one to ignore a gut instinct.

Just then there was a knock at the door, interrupting Clary's train of thought. She rinsed the bowl quickly and shut off the water, grabbing a hand towel on the way to the door. She glanced through the peephole curiously, and felt her mouth fall open in an 'o' of shock.

Carefully, she opened the door, letting the person see half of her. "How do you know where I live?"

* * *

**OOOOOOOO! :D **

**Sorry for any mistakes. This story is not beta'd.**

**So, my wonderful Minions. That's Chapter 6! It's a bit longer than my last one, but I wanted to get this chapter up quickly because I've neglected you guys for two weeks. I figured you'd want this sooner rather than later ;) Plus, it's a pretty good cliffhanger :D**

**So my Minions, who do you think it is on Clary's doorstep?**

**Clary: Oh come on, are you really going to keep them waiting?**

**Me: They won't have to wait long, I promise!**

**Jace: Yes, I'm sure they want to see more of me. What happened to shirtless Jace?**

**Clary: Jace, your ego knows no bounds.**

**Jace: Your flattery is overwhelming, love.**

**Clary: Oi, you! Where's that crowbar?**

**Me: Under the sink...**

**Jace: You wouldn't.**

**So, my Minions, reviews make me happy! :D *Smack* Ooo. That sounded painful.**

**- TheGrandGiftOfSilence**


	7. Didn't You See It Coming?

**Well hello, my Minions! I am so sorry for not updating when I said I would. This Summer has actually been unbelievably busy and to top it all off I've been really stressed about my GCSE results. Some of you must know what that's like, right?**

**But anyway, thankyou to all of you who have reviewed, favourite and followed my story. You put way too much faith in me :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments. It belongs to Cassandra Clare and she is an absolute idol.**

**IMPORTANT A/N: This story is not beta'd, and I check it as well as I can. Sorry for any mistakes.**

* * *

Jace wandered the streets of New York for what felt like hours before he found himself stood outside the old Morgernstern house where Clary used to live. He could almost see himself stood on the porch, pounding on the door with a crumpled piece of paper in his fist six years ago, refusing to believe she'd gone.

He'd turned into such an idiot since she'd left. Only Alec ever got to see him any different to how he portrayed himself to the outside world, and that was okay, because they were _parabatai. _ He did have his little slip up in the Institute, but that was only because Maryse had suggested Jace leave Clary in her mundane life, without getting her to come back to him. But he needed her.

She probably had a boyfriend. There was no way someone as beautiful as Clary wouldn't have gotten the attention she deserved, even if it was from a stupid human who didn't know how to protect her.

Jace looked up at the house again, knowing he could stand outside the gate for hours without anyone seeing him except for Downworlders and other Shadowhunters. And he guessed they wouldn't look twice at him anyway. Well, except the girls of course. The girls would probably triple glance at him to make sure he was real and not just some extremely handsome person conjured from their imagination.

He grimaced slightly and turned his attention back to the house, but the house wasn't the thing that had changed. He'd changed, and so had Clary. Everything around it had changed, and it just stood still as time passed by around it.

"Jace, what are you doing here?"

Jace groaned internally and turned round to face Izzy, who was stood in the middle of the path with a knowing look on her face, arms crossed over her chest.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he smirked, sensing Izzy's irritation. She sighed and flicked her long black hair behind her shoulders with a glare.

"Obviously stalking Clary, although I have no idea how news travels this fast anymore."

Jace rolled his eyes, bored. "And how do you suppose I do that? When one is accused of being a stalker," he said, gesturing to himself, "said stalker usually knows where his subject lives."

"Subject, really? This is how you deal with it?"

"I think I'm missing the point of this conversation, _sister_."

"Stop playing dumb, Jace. Why else would you be here?" Izzy retorted, tapping her foot on the sidewalk impatiently.

Jace raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about Iz?"

Izzy opened her mouth to reply when the front door of the house opened and a figure emerged onto the porch. Jace dragged Izzy into the shadows of a large bush, putting a hand over her mouth to stop her protests. "Shh," he whispered lightly in her ear. "Someone's coming."

He knew he was coated in Glamour and couldn't be seen, but Izzy wasn't and he didn't want to take any chances, so the both of them watched as a dark silhouette walked casually down the path and stopped just in front of Jace and Izzy, close enough for them to see his face. Jace almost let his mouth drop in surprise, but recovered enough to allow a faint glimmer of shock to show on his face before disappearing completely.

Izzy pointed silently in the figure's direction and gave Jace a look that said 'you get me now'? He nodded and looked back at the familiar white-blond hair of Jonathon Morgernstern, watching him as he turned to walk away from where Jace and Izzy were hiding. He could almost hear Izzy's inward sigh of relief.

They stayed silent for another minute before Izzy turned to Jace, hands on her hips. "Is the conversation clear now, _brother_?"

"Yes, Iz," Jace sighed, running a hand through his hair. "How did they get the house back so quickly though?"

Izzy shrugged. "Valentine must have friends in high places. He was pretty high up when they used to live here, in both the mundane world and in the Clave. I don't think you can lose a status as powerful as that."

Jace had switched off after the first sentence, and found himself thinking about something more important. Something he should have noticed but looked over completely. "Did you see if he had any runes?" he asked abruptly, stopping the flow of words that came from Izzy's mouth and catching her off guard.

"What?"

"Iz, come on. Please don't tell me you didn't see one rune on Jonathon's body."

Izzy looked taken aback. "I don't know what I was looking for, but I wasn't looking for runes. I figured if Clary forgot about being a Shadowhunter, than the whole family would too. It's the only thing that seems to make any sense."

"So you just thought 'hey, I'm not even going to look because I know I'm right'?" Jace said scornfully.

Izzy's eyes narrowed. "Well I didn't see you looking for any either, jackass. Don't blame it all on me."

Jace groaned inwardly and looked at his sister. "Why are you here anyway? Are you following me or something?"

"No, Jace, I hate to deflate your ego but I'm not following you. I'm here because Mom told me I needed to be."

Jace raised one eyebrow. "What for?"

"To keep an eye on Clary. Duh," she replied like it was obvious.

"Why didn't Maryse ask me to do that?" Jace asked, annoyed.

Izzy kept her eyes trained on Jace's face, watching for his reaction. "It's going to be a lot easier for me to get close to her. I'm basically dating her best friend, and you can't really waltz in talking about 'girl stuff' like I can."

Jace was extremely pissed off with Maryse for giving the job to Izzy instead of him, but he should have seen it coming. Izzy had a lot more reasons, and, quite frankly, better reasons, to turn up at her house than he did.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration and sighed as he looked back at Izzy. He wasn't happy about this. Something about Valentine had creeped him out when the Morgernstern family lived in New York, and Jace was never one to ignore gut instinct. "I'm not going to be able to jump to your rescue like the heroic person I am, you know," he said, smirking to cover up his unease.

"I can protect myself Jace," Izzy said, rolling her eyes. "Just go! You can't be here when I talk to Clary. She saw you last night and she might think you're a, I dunno, a stalker or something!"

Jace looked pointedly at his sister. "Very funny, Iz," he said sarcastically.

She pointed a finger down the street, in the opposite way to which Jonathon had gone. "Just go hunt demons with Alec. I'll call you later, okay?" Jace nodded, finding himself eager to phone Alec even though he still didn't want to leave Izzy alone. But he was never one to pass up a good demon hunt. Hell, he did it just to pass the time. It was one of the perks of being the best Shadowhunter of his age. It would probably help him release his anger better than a punch bag could.

Izzy was already walking up the path to the door, taking Jace's nod as an agreement. She waved idly over her shoulder. "Later, jackass!"

Jace opened his mouth to insult her back, but stopped himself to watch as Izzy knocked on the door and a curious Clary poked her head out. His breath caught at the sight of her. She was still as beautiful to him as she was six years ago.

Her mouth moved as she spoke to Izzy before her eyes flicked to where he was standing, and he slinked back into the shadows of the bush quickly, wondering if she'd seen her. Even if she now thought she lived life as a mundane, she would still be able to see through Glamour if she tried hard enough. You couldn't strip someone of their Shadowhunter heritage too.

He poked his head round the bush to see if he could catch another glimpse of her, but she'd already disappeared inside with Isabelle. He let out a long breath, then fished his phone out of his pocket and called Alec, taking up Izzy's advice.

He answered after two rings. "Hello?"

"It's Jace. Let's go demon hunting."

* * *

"How do you know where I live?"

Clary kept the door angled so she had a clear view of the raven haired girl, still holding her sketchpad. No way was she letting her in without an explanation as to why she had turned up on her doorstep at 10 in the morning.

Isabelle smiled warmly, and it made Clary relax a little. The girl's posture made her look slightly intimidating though, so she kept the door firmly between them. "I asked Simon if I could have your address. I wanted to apologise about last night, and maybe see if we could be friends. I am practically dating your best friend, after all."

She sighed inwardly. If Simon liked the girl then Clary had to give her a chance, at least.

Clary let her eyes wander behind Isabelle, and thought she caught a flash of golden blonde in the corner of her eye, but when she flicked her eyes back it wasn't there. She must have been imagining things, and that didn't surprise her. She was an artist, after all.

Isabelle waved a hand in front of her face and Clary blinked in response. "Clary, you still with me?" she said, looking at Clary in a way that made her feel that she'd been replaced with an alien or something.

Clary shook her head and managed a small smile in Izzy's direction. "Yeah, sorry. Come in."

Isabelle flashed a grin in Clary's direction and pushed past her into the house, and Clary took the opportunity to glance around the street again, looking for the flash of gold. She was pretty sure her imagination couldn't come up with a colour that vivid, but after the strange dreams she'd been having lately, it was definitely possible.

She sighed and shut the door before turning to look to where Isabelle was stood, tapping her foot impatiently with one hand on her hip. Despite herself, Clary grinned inwardly. She reminded her of Maia, her crazy friend from school.

"So, Isabelle," she said, feeling a little awkward in the girls presence. "How long have you known Si?" she asked, figuring it would be better to start on common ground.

"Call me Izzy, everyone does. And it's been about three weeks, I think."

Clary smiled. "That sounds about right." Izzy looked at Clary with a confused expression, so she elaborated. "Me and Si have been going to Pandemonium for a while now, mainly for my benefit, but a few weeks ago he actually started to enjoy it and he kept telling me about this 'totally fit girl' he was supposed to be meeting there. I didn't believe him, I mean, he's not exactly a magnet for hotties."

Izzy laughed, her eyes bright. "Oh, I am so going to mess up his head when I tell him this. I like you already!"

Despite herself, Clary snorted into her hand, smiling at Izzy's expression. There was something about the girl, now that she could talk to her properly, that made her feel extremely comfortable. Sure, the girl was a lot different from Clary, and a whole lot taller, but she had a strong personality and Clary could almost see it in waves as Izzy's form shook with laughter.

After Izzy had calmed down, Clary lead the way upstairs to her bedroom, taking extra care to be quiet going past her parents' bedroom. She didn't exactly feel an overwhelming urge to wake her father up yet. Or ever, for that matter.

She pulled open her bedroom door and gestured Izzy inside with a sweep of her arm. Izzy stepped in and looked around curiously.

"Woah," she said, her eyes darting round. "You have an awesome room!" She glanced down and grinned. "I guess it helps that I can see the floor."

Clary clicked the door shut softly and turned to Izzy, cocking her head. "What do you mean?"

Clary watched as something flitted through the girls dark eyes, so quick that she figured she hadn't really seen anything at all as Izzy's face smoothed out into an easy smile. "You would know what I'm talking about if you'd ever been in my room."

Clary moved over to her bed, placing her forgotten sketchpad on her desk as she passed it.

"That bad, huh?" she asked, sitting in her mattress and feeling it dip slightly under her weight She patted the space beside her and Izzy sank down gratefully.

"Bad?" She snorted. "It's more like a death trap. Keeps my brothers out though, so I suppose it does have some perks. I just tell them that I don't know what's hiding under the mess."

Clary chuckled lightly and looked around her own room.

Even after living in New York for a year it still didn't feel like much of a home to her. Her room still didn't feel like it did back in Florida, when it was her sanctuary and a place she could draw and study in peace. But she didn't feel any connection to this room at all since they'd moved.

Three of the four walls were plain white, only sketches and drawings of her own and her Mom's hung on them to try and brighten them up a bit. The other wall was covered in patterns of coloured paint; shapes Clary had never seen before interlinking with one another in vibrant black, streaks of red and gold between them.

The colours had seemed significant to her when she'd painted the wall, so she decided to stick with the theme. Her bed covers were red, black pillows embroidered with gold thrown haphazardly on the mattress. The dresser was black, and Clary had stencilled more shapes in gold on the wood, doing the same to her wardrobe. Her laptop was plugged in and sat on her desk, along with papers of homework for school that she hadn't done yet. She'd even stuck glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling, seen as the pollution in New York was too thick for her to see anything apart from black outside her bedroom window at night.

Even though her bedroom looked like it was hers, she couldn't help but feel like something was missing. And she didn't yet know if what was missing was part of her or her room.

Izzy cleared her throat and Clary turned towards her. The girl looked uncomfortable and coughed again. "Look, I'm really sorry about last night. I kind of freaked out a bit, because you look a whole lot like somebody me and my brothers used to know when we were little."

Clary just waved away the apology, happy she'd been given an explanation for the girl's strange behaviour last night, even if it was a pretty lame one at that. There was something Izzy was hiding, but Clary felt like she shouldn't ask. "Don't worry about it. I wasn't very helpful in the matter either. Your friend must have meant a lot to you."

Izzy opened her mouth to reply when Loverboy by You Me At Six blared out from Clary's phone speaker. She frowned and fished her phone out of her pocket, not even having to check the caller ID to know who it was.

She answered it and pressed the phone to her ear. "Hey, Seb. When did you get your hands on my phone long enough to change my ringtone?"

A deep chuckle twisted its way from the speaker and into her ear. "So I take it you didn't have to check the caller ID then?"

Clary smiled. "Well obviously. That song is pretty much your anthem, is it not?"

"How your words wound me, Clary," he replied, feigning hurt, and Clary's smile widened.

"Who is it?" Izzy mouthed, curious.

Clary covered the speaker with her free hand. "It's my boyfriend," she whispered back, and Izzy lifted both her eyebrows, grinning.

She hit a button on her phone and placed it on the bed, twirling a lock of her red hair around her fingers. "You can take it, I'm sure."

Sebastian's voice flowed through the room so Izzy could hear, the speakers a little static. "I'll make you apologise to me later, don't you worry about it."

Clary blushed and Izzy's grin showed all teeth, her eyebrows rising even higher than Clary thought possible. "I'm sure you will," she replied, trying to keep her voice calm. "How much later?"

Izzy wagged a finger in Clary's direction. "Naughty, naughty," she stage-whispered, loud enough for Sebastian to overhear, and he chuckled a little breathlessly through the phone.

"Well, I'm guessing you're not alone, so not right now. Does tonight sound good?"

"Sounds great," Clary said honestly. She hadn't hung out with Sebastian alone for a while now.

"Okay, I'll pick you up at five then. Later, baby."

Clary giggled and replied with a quick bye before she hung up the phone. She stuffed it back in her pocket and looked up at Izzy, who was staring at her with a wicked expression on her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she said, holding her hands out in surrender.

Izzy pointed at Clary's pocket and then at her face. "You just got a date, which means I get to dress you up." Her voice was eager, happy, and Clary groaned out loud.

"No way," she moaned. "I can dress myself, Izzy."

"Aww, come on, Clary," Izzy pleaded, her eyes widening and developing into one of the best puppy dog faces she'd ever seen. "I get you ready for your date, you go on the date. It's a win-win situation!"

Clary huffed and crossed her arms. "I hate that damn face." Izzy wouldn't look away, and Clary groaned. "Ugh, fine!"

Izzy clapped her hands and squealed, finally letting the puppy-dog face slide from her features. "I knew you'd let me!"

Clary shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "It's that face. It gets me every time."

Izzy stood up suddenly, tugging Clary with her. She teetered before regaining her balance and planting both feet firmly on the ground. Izzy cast a glance at Clary's alarm clock at the side of her bed.

"Shit," she squealed, alarmed. "It's already half past ten!"

Clary raised her eyebrows, still lacking the power to raise only one. "And?"

"And _you_ need to start getting ready!"

"You're kidding me, right? I have more than six hours!"

Izzy grinned, waggling her eyebrows at Clary. "I'm afraid I'm going to need all the time I can get with you, my dear. You will be the biggest challenge I've ever dealt with yet." Her smile grew wider at Clary's horrified expression. "Don't worry, I'll buy you lunch!"

Clary mentally face palmed herself. With Izzy's confident and just a little bit too eccentric behaviour, she knew she should have anticipated what was coming as soon as she agreed to it. She just prayed her Dad wouldn't notice she'd gone for the day as Izzy dragged her from the room, chatting happily about outfits and make-up, the door shutting behind them with a sharp snap.

* * *

"Finally," he said, his voice flowing through the room as he spoke from behind his desk, hands clasped in front of him. "I thought you'd forget."

The boy shook his head quickly. "Of course not."

"Have there been any developments in the matter at hand?"

"Yes," the boy replied, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot where he stood in the middle of the dark room.

The man leaned forward, placing his elbows on the polished wood. "Tell me."

"She saw him last night, but she didn't know anything, couldn't remember anything. She shrugged him off without a second thought."

"Excellent," he replied. "Everything is going to plan. He'll be too distracted to think about anything else other than her." He sat back in his chair, his eyes bright. "Keep an eye on the both of them, not just him. This will need to go on for a while before we can initiate the next step."

The boy fidgeted uneasily. "How much longer?"

"Until I say so."

He gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly as he swallowed. "He won't give up without a fight."

"I'm counting on it." The man's words were short, harsh.

"There are more than just him. Didn't you see it coming?"

"Do you take me for a fool?" he roared, and the boy bowed his head, tracing a finger over the permanent eye rune on the back of his hand weakly.

He took his silence as a yes, and spoke in a dangerous voice. "Do not think to question me again, boy. Don't forget that I made you who you are, and I can just as easily take it back."

The boy figured he was being dismissed, and nodded respectfully before turning on his heel, making his way back to the door.

"Oh, and Jonathon," the man called out from behind him, and he stopped with one hand on the door knob, waiting for his next words.

The man smiled grimly, turning a knife over in his fingers. "Kill anyone that gets in your way."

* * *

**And so Chapter 7 ends with a cliffy. Please don't hate me! I'll try my very best to have Chapter 8 up next week :D**

**Also, did anyone catch the meaning behind the colours in Clary's room? Think about it...;)**

**Jace: I know!**

**Clary: Of course you do. Now hush, you'll ruin it for the readers!**

**Isabelle: Like he cares. He'll tell everyone and then expect us to congratulate his fat head.**

**Jace: Iz, my head is not fat, and you know it.**

**Me: If it's not fat, then how do you fit your ego in there?**

**Jace: I could tell you, but I'd rather show you.**

**Me: Err, no thanks.**

**Jace: You don't sound so sure about that.**

**Clary: Jace!**

**So yeah, my wonderful Minions, please review and tell me what you think! Also, drop me a few ideas about what you should think happen on Sebastian and Clary's date. And maybe we'll see a little bit of the jealous Jace, because we all like that, don't we ;)**

**- TheGrandGiftOfSilence**


	8. Chaos In All Forms

**So, my Minions. I will take a moment to say just one thing – I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS MUCH FAITH IN ME! I swear it, I really do. I love writing for you, my wonderful little Minions!**

**This took a bit longer to write than I thought it would, but it needed to be a filler Chapter before the actual date between Clary and Seb, or it wouldn't make sense. IT'S ALSO THE LONGEST CHAPTER I HAVE WRITTEN! YEY ME! But the next part should be up pretty soon, if all goes well at school, my Minions! :)**

**So a few got what the colours of Clary's bedroom meant (red, black, gold and white), but I'm not going to tell you if you haven't figured it out yet. You will soon!**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill by now ;)**

* * *

"Nope. So wrong. Disgusting. Ew, I'd rather eat that!"

Izzy continued to paw through shirts hanging on the racks, occasionally flinging ones she liked into Clary's already full arms, causing her to stagger under the weight of the material.

She lifted her arms up carefully and sighed. "Izzy, please. Is this not enough yet?"

"You don't go shopping very often, do you?" she answered, not pausing in her task.

"I'm only going on a date! It's not like Prom or anything! I doubt Seb will take me somewhere fancy anyway; he's just not that type of guy."

Izzy turned around and stood with her hand on her hips, flicking her long black hair over her shoulder. "Have you even asked him?"

Clary shrugged as delicately as she could with her arms full of fabric. "I didn't think it would matter. It's pretty much the first date he's ever taken me on."

Izzy lifted an eyebrow, and Clary felt a stab of jealousy flow through her. Why couldn't she do it? It would make her feel a lot more intimidating if she could, even though Seb just seemed to think she was cute when she was mad. And that made her more angry.

"Look, Clary," Izzy said impatiently. "You can't go on a first date and not impress your guy! Who knows where you'll end up then?" She shook her head when Clary tried to answer, and her mouth shut with a snap. "Give me your phone."

"What? Why?"

Izzy rolled her eyes and held her hand out. "I'll ask Sebastian where you're going tonight. That way, it'll still be a surprise for you, and I'll know exactly what to do to you."

"Jeese, Izzy, you make it sound like you're going to rape me."

She just stood there, looking at Clary with an expectant look on her face. Clary sighed inwardly and transferred all the clothes she was holding to one arm, reaching in her pocket with her other hand to pull out her phone. She slapped it into Izzy's waiting palm and scowled.

Izzy just grinned at her and started navigating her way through Clary's phone, her fingers flying over the keys quickly as she sent the message to Sebastian. Then she shoved it in her pocket and pushed Clary in the direction of the changing room. "Go try those on. As soon as Sebastian texts back, we can get you all made up, okay?"

Clary stumbled back from Izzy's shove, struggling to regain her balance without the use of her arms. She felt her mouth turn down into a frown. "Can I have my phone back?"

Izzy wagged a finger at her. God, the girl was so bossy. "You don't need to know anything about your date. I, however, need to know everything. So go try things on!"

_God, she's such a diva_, Clary's subconscious screamed at her, and she gave herself a mental slap. Sure, Izzy had a massive personality, and one Clary couldn't possibly keep up with in the long run. But she'd promised to herself that she would try, for Simon's sake.

Even if Simon was an idiot who couldn't pick a girl to save his life, although there were two practically throwing themselves at him.

Just a normal boy.

Clary shook herself and glanced back at Izzy, who was still glaring at her with an expectant look on her face.

"Are you going to just stand there looking like a moron?" she said pointedly, a smile tugging at her lips.

Clary stuck her tongue out. Childishly. Well, it wasn't like she could flip the girl off, after all. She would've have done it happily if she could lift a hand without dropping something.

Izzy just grinned, and Clary scowled back before making her way to the changing rooms at the back of the store. She was really starting to regret coming shopping with the raven-haired girl now. It was so obvious that Izzy was much more educated in the world of fashion than Clary was. She knew the difference between casual and fancy, and she figured that was all she needed to know. At least she wouldn't turn up to a wedding dressed in a pair of sweats and a paint splattered t-shirt.

"Can I help you?"

Clary started, surprised to find herself at the doorway to the changing room. She'd gotten there quick, apparently. _And without dropping anything, too_, she added, giving herself a mental pat on the back.

She held up her arms to show the attendant, smiling apologetically as she did. The poor woman probably wasn't used to seeing one girl want to try so much on. Unless Izzy came here every day.

The woman must have seen the strain that Clary's arms were taking, and wordlessly took half the clothes from her. She smiled gratefully.

"Thanks. I don't think I would've been able to hold them much longer."

The woman winked. "I'm gonna take a guess here and say that you're Isabelle's friend, and you most likely have a date."

Whoa, so Izzy did come here often. Of course she did, when she wasn't chasing after boys and all that. Or when boys weren't chasing after her. That seemed more likely.

Clary grinned. "You're telling me. The next time I'll sell my soul to the devil first."

"I think that sounds like a great idea," the woman laughed, her eyes creasing at the corners. "Come on, let's get you sorted."

She led Clary through the curtained cubicles, not stopping until she reached the biggest one at the end. Clary raised both eyebrows, once again cursing herself that she couldn't raise one, and the woman just shrugged.

"You'll need it. Trust me."

Clary grinned as she dumped the clothes onto a small stool. "Thanks for the help."

"I'm Kate. Just shout if you need me," she said, before leaving with another quick wink in Clary's direction.

Clary watched Kate's retreating form. But she'd be back before long. Clary would definitely need all the help she could get when dealing with Izzy, and Kate had obviously managed to before. And lived to tell the tale.

With a sigh, she turned round and regarded the massive pile of clothes with one eye. This was ridiculous. She doubted she would find one nice thing in this never ending abyss.

She thought about running before Izzy would find her, but she'd probably find her. It seemed there was nothing that girl couldn't do.

She shook her head and pulled her shirt over her head, then slipped out of her converse and jeans, leaving her standing in just her underwear. Boring white underwear.

"If Izzy gets me to try on any underwear," Clary muttered, grabbing the first thing from the pile of clothes. "I will stake her through the heart and then eat it."

The curtain of the cubicle flew open and Clary squealed, trying to cover her half naked body.

"What's this about staking me?" Izzy asked with a smirk.

Clary rolled her eyes. "Absolutely nothing."

"Good, because I know where you're going now, and most of the stuff I've picked out for you is so not right."

"So that means there will be less stuff for me to try on, and then we can go eat?" Clary asked hopefully, dropping her hands. It wasn't like Izzy was a boy or anything; they had the same parts.

Izzy laughed brightly, shaking her head. "Yes, Clary. We can go get lunch soon. Now let me just sort this out." She dug into the pile of clothes with her hands, muttering incoherent words that Clary didn't even try to understand. She did close the curtain though; God forbid a boy walked in at that particular moment.

Five minutes later, Izzy stood up, swiping her hands on her skirt. "Done!"

There were two piles of clothes. One that closely resembled the mountain of fabric Clary had brought in at first, and the other consisted of three garments.

"Please tell me I'm not trying all those on," Clary asked, gesturing towards the larger pile with a look of horror.

Izzy laughed. "As much as I would like you to, no. I just want you to try those three on, and I'll decide which one works best."

Clary sighed with relief. "Thanks, Izzy. I thought you were giving me my death sentence."

"Nahh, we'll do that another day," she replied, winking at Clary's frown. "Now try them on!"

Grumbling to herself about raven-haired girls and shopping, Clary slipped the first dress over her head. Izzy immediately shook her head with a look of disgust and shoved the next one at Clary, holding her hand out impatiently for Clary to give her the one she had on.

"What's wrong with it?" Clary asked, glancing down at herself in the mirror.

"Just trust me on this," Izzy said. "Come on, the next one!"

Clary scowled as she dragged it off of her body and put the next one on.

Izzy grimaced. "That looked so much better on the rack."

"There's only one more to go, Izzy."

"Yeah, yeah," Izzy replied with a wave of her hand. "This one will be perfect."

Clary shrugged and sighed. "Whatever you say." She quickly stepped out of the dress and into the next one, turning around so Izzy could do up the zip at the back.

She looked at her thoughtfully, her finger on her lips, before smiling in approval. "I'm way too good at this. You look amazing, Clary!"

Clary turned and gasped at herself in the mirror. The dress was perfect, if a little short. That didn't bother her though; she'd worn shorter in Maia's presence. If that was possible.

It was a light emerald green, a colour that complimented her eyes perfectly. It hugged her body tightly, emphasising the curves she'd always thought she didn't have, and the straps left her shoulders bare. Apart from the web of intricate ribbon travelling down her torso and ending in a knot at her back, it was plain. And perfect.

"Woah, Izzy. You are so good at this."

Izzy gave a little bow. "I thank you. Now, get changed and we can go get lunch." She turned dragging open the curtains and shouting for Kate. The poor woman would never catch a break with Izzy around. Who would?

Clary turned back to the mirror and dragged her hands down her sides. Sebastian had never seen her in a dress before, and she knew he'd love it. He was constantly telling her how pretty she looked anyway.

As she studied herself in the mirror, her thoughts turned to Jace. If he saw her like this, what would he say? Wow? Would he kiss her? She ran a finger over her bottom lip and closed her eyes, thinking about Jace's lips touching hers, him tasting of mint and something warm, spicy maybe-

"Clary, you done?"

"I, uh, almost," Clary stuttered, giving herself a mental face-palm. She had a boyfriend, for goodness sake!

"Well, great. Let's go!"

Clary slipped out the dress hurriedly, struggling with the zip, then pulled on her clothes. She dragged open the curtain with the dress draped over on arm, and made her way to where Izzy was stood waiting, Kate next to her.

"Finally," Izzy said, her arms crossed. "Let's go."

Kate smiled slightly at Clary and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Be glad it wasn't longer, Izzy's usually here for around two hours. You must have done some serious begging."

Clary laughed and nodded her head in agreement, before giving Kate a little wave and following Izzy to the counter. She put the dress down carefully (God forbid she damaged it now after all the time it took to find it) and rummaged in her bag for her purse. She barely noticed when Izzy reached past her and swiped a card.

"Izzy, what are you doing?!"

"Paying for you, what does it look like?"

"You don't have to do that!"

Izzy smiled, a proper, genuine smile. "I want to. Besides, it's what friends do." She took the bag from the man behind the till and handed it to Clary with a wink. "Don't worry about it."

Clary rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, when really she couldn't keep the grin from her face. Izzy was amazing, and a friend like this didn't come along very often, offering to buy you stuff after you'd known each other for less than 24 hours. Give or take.

Izzy linked her arm through Clary's and dragged her to the front of the store, chattering about make-up and accessories that would go with the dress. Clary laughed with her, mentally congratulating Simon on his choice in girls. There were a few things he was good for.

* * *

"Jace, we can't just leave!"

"Erm, yes we can. You know, there's this thing you do when you stand up and walk using the two legs that are found situated below your waist, if you care to look."

Alec tilted his head back, frustrated. "We need to wait for Mom."

"You're 21 years old, and you still need your Mom's permission to leave? Wow, Our Royal Gayness Number 2 must really be babying you to a greater extent than we realised. I could save you, but it'd be a waste of time."

Alec narrowed his eyes, rolling his neck to glare at Jace. Jace just smirked back, mentally putting a tick next to 'piss Alec off' on his list. If he couldn't release his anger on stabbing a few demons, Alec was the second best thing.

He'd phoned Alec, forever grateful to Magnus for teaching them all to use mobile phones, and Alec had refused his offer to go demon hunting straight away. So Jace had gone back to the Institute to drag him out, but this time it wasn't working.

Maryse had gone to the Clave to see if she could get any information on where the Morgenstern's were in reference to the Shadowhunters, and had told Alec not to leave before she got back. Apparently, the whole thing was extremely important. Jace didn't care. He just wanted Clary back where she belonged.

But he couldn't do anything, and was expected to sit down in the Institute's vast library like a good boy. The thought made him bristle.

He groaned and ran a hand through his already mussed-up hair, knowing he would just have to keep his anger under wraps until Maryse got back. "Have you even heard anything from Maryse yet?" he asked Alec, flopping on the couch opposite him.

"If I had, we wouldn't be sat here. She's been there a while, though."

Jace picked up the book on the small table beside him and flicked through the pages idly, just needing something else to concentrate on. "When did she leave?"

"Not long after you left to go and do what you do best."

Jace snorted. "What do I do best then, Alec? Enlighten me."

"Sulk," Alec replied simply.

"You sulk. I punch things."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "If that's not classed as sulking, then I don't know what is."

Jace mirrored Alec's expression, and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Did you not give Magnus what he wanted? Is that how you can tell what a sulk is now?"

Jace grinned, watching as Alec opened his mouth to retort to Jace's comment, when the library doors were pushed open with a loud creak, making both boys turn their head to look.

Maryse was stood in the doorway, her gaze skipping across the room before landing stonily on Jace. "You've been summoned."

Jace couldn't contain the look of surprise that skimmed across his features, but quickly batted it down with a shrug. "Of course I have. You would be a fool not to ask for this."

Maryse looked upwards, looking so much like her son not five minutes ago. "The Silent Brothers wish to speak with you."

"What for?"

_I think you know why I am here, Jace Lightwood._

Jace got to his feet quickly, the book sliding off his lap, and watched as the Silent Brother brushed past Maryse and came to a stop in the middle of the library.

"Jace, this is Brother Zachariah. He needs to ask you a few questions." Maryse sighed, obviously not happy with the idea. Jace knew she sometimes forgot that he was an adult now, and her protectiveness overwhelmed him sometimes. "Alec, I need you to come with me to find Hodge. Maybe he can help us more on the case."

"Sure," Alec mumbled, getting up clumsily and following Maryse, casting a glance back at Jace before shutting the doors behind him with a click.

Jace crossed his arms over his chest and regarded the Silent Brother carefully. He hadn't left the best impression on them when they'd been involved in cases before, and he didn't understand why one was here now.

Brother Zachariah stood with his hands by his side, the parchment coloured robes covering every part of him, the hood covering his face from Jace's view. He was glad of that; seeing their sewed-shut mouths and eyeless faces freaked him out a bit.

"Why do you need to speak to me?" Jace asked, fearing the answer.

_For the case that Maryse Lightwood has brought before the Clave._

"You're here about the Morgensterns."

_Yes. Clarissa Morgenstern. Maryse has told the Clave that the Lightwood's were close to the Morgenstern's before they moved away from New York._

Jace swallowed. "Yes."

_There are things you must know, Jace Lightwood._

"Do you know what happened to Clary?" Jace exclaimed, unable to hold it in. He had to know.

_The Clave has seen nothing like this before._

"Nothing?" Jace replied incredulously. If anyone could have shed some light on Clary's 'condition', it would have been the Clave. Who had nothing.

_The Silent Brothers are Archivists. There are no records on this, _Brother Zachariah said, his voice floating through Jace's mind.

"So what do I need to know?" Jace said angrily, dropping his arms and curling his hands into fists at his sides.

_Valentine Morgenstern's past is a dark one, _Brother Zachariah explained. _He had a close circle of followers, people who thought he would lead them out of a world lead by the Clave. He believed all Downworlders should be treated like demons, and many agreed with him._

"Why would you agree with that?"

_Loyalty is stronger than it seems. You should know this better than anyone._

Jace narrowed his eyes. "How could I?"

_You remain loyal to Clarissa, protecting her from a distance, even when you do not appear to realise it._

"I'll always protect her."

_Your connection with Clarissa runs deep. Love is powerful, but the binding that runs through your blood is more powerful still._

Brother Zachariah remained unmoving, and Jace cocked his head to the side. Silent Brothers were so hard to read. "What do you mean?"

_I do not know. This is dangerous territory, and something you must figure out by yourself. If I knew, I would not be able to help you._

"I thought you were here to help?" Jace said calmly, flexing his fingers and feeling the familiar need to punch something flow through his veins.

_Do not let your goals be blinded by the love you feel for the girl, Jace Lightwood._

"To love is to destroy," Jace replied bluntly.

_You do not believe that._

"How would you know?"

Brother Zachariah paused, almost seeming to weigh his next words carefully, before answering. _Being a Shadowhunter strengthens every emotion you have, but love becomes the most dangerous and the most passionate. It is showing the compassion that makes you a true Shadowhunter._

Jace shook his head. "I thought Shadowhunters were trained to be the best in the hunt."

_They are, but that does not mean they should lose their ability to feel._

Jace ran a hand over his face and through his hair in exasperation, deciding to change the subject. "Aren't you supposed to be here to ask me questions on the Morgenstern case? Because there seems to be more questions coming from me than from you."

_I came to offer you guidance, and to tell you all I could. It is all I can do._

"Well, you've been such a tremendous help, Brother Zachariah," Jace said with fake enthusiasm. "Are we done here?"

Brother Zachariah seemed to realise he was being dismissed, and Jace breathed out a sigh of relief. _Remember what you have been told. Good luck, Jace._

The Silent Brother turned and made his way to the huge wooden doors without another word, leaving a shocked Jace alone in the library.

Never had a Silent Brother called him by his first name alone before. He had a reason to be so surprised, and that along with all the information Brother Zachariah had just dumped on him didn't really help with his already overcrowded thoughts of Clary.

She'd be safe. Izzy was keeping an eye out for her, but Jace thought he should be doing something more to help. Even if Clary couldn't remember him, he should be protecting her, just like he'd promised he would all those years ago. But the past years didn't even register in her mind anymore. Did she think she had grown up somewhere else in the world? The same continent?

How could he even ask her without getting close to her first, or kissing her like he needed air to breathe?

His phone rang shrilly, cutting off his thoughts that he was sure would stray closer to Clary than he needed to be at the moment.

He fished it out his pocket and glanced at the number, groaning as he answered it.

"Izzy."

"Jace, nice to hear from you as always," came the reply.

"What do you want, Isabelle?" Jace sighed, and began to walk up and down the library, clutching the phone tighter against his ear, knowing that Clary was with Izzy on the other side.

"We're going out tonight, is that okay with you?" Izzy replied.

"What for?"

"Well, my new friend _Clary_ has a date tonight, and I thought we could tag along. I want to go out anyway."

Jace stopped in his tracks and stiffened, only a few steps away from the door. Clary had a date? A real date, one that wasn't with him? His grip on the phone got tighter. "Where?"

"Just come pick me up from Clary's before 5, will you? I'll text you the address." Jace suddenly realised that Izzy was saying everything for Clary's benefit, who was obviously on the other side of the phone listening to the conversation.

He clenched his jaw and spoke softly. "I hope there's something for me to kill tonight, Izzy."

Izzy laughed. "Don't worry about it. I'll see you later!"

The line went dead and Jace dropped his hand. He was mad now. Clay couldn't have a date! There was only one person she could date, and that was him.

"I need to punch things," Jace muttered to himself, recalling his and Alec's earlier conversation, before taking the same path out of the library that Brother Zachariah had, the doors swinging shut behind him.

* * *

"Jesus Christ, Izzy! You really are amazing!"

It was quarter to 5, and Clary was stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, admiring herself for the first time in her life. She actually looked good.

After lunch, Izzy had dragged Clary straight back to the Morgenstern house, shoving her in the bathroom and telling her to shower. Then she'd immediately gone to work on Clary's make-up, dusting her eyelids with a smoky grey that brought out the green of her eyes. She'd used mascara, blush, and lip gloss, and told Clary that she wasn't allowed to peek as she heated up the curlers.

Every single curl of Clary's now looked untamed, but somehow neat at the same time, the red standing bold against the green of her dress. She'd put skin-toned tights on under the dress, and Izzy had forced her into some black heels, which Clary could just about balance in.

She looked sexy.

Izzy flipped her hair in the mirror behind Clary and smiled. "I know, trust me."

Clary grinned back. "And are you going to the same place I am other than to 'tag along'?"

"I may or may not be meeting Simon," Izzy shrugged, and Clary raised her eyebrows.

"I'm sure you know the answer to that already, Izzy."

Izzy laughed. "Yeah I do."

Clary turned her attention back to the girl in the mirror that she was having trouble to believe it was her. Sebastian would love this, she knew. He was forever telling her she was beautiful, but now she looked like a smoking hot goddess.

_I wonder if Jace would like this?_ she wondered, pressing a finger to her lips. _What a date that would be. He'd take me somewhere amazing, and it'd end up heated by the end of the night-_

She was cut off from her thoughts by the knock at the door, and she noticed her cheeks were flushed. Damn! She must not think about Jace!

"That would most likely be my brother," Izzy sighed, glancing at the clock. "I'll just get my stuff."

"Okay then," Clary replied, as she made her way out of the room and down the stairs as quietly as she could in high heels. She hadn't seen her Mom and Dad all day, but she wasn't about to take any chances now. That would be a bad idea, and she'd be grounded straight away. Not like she was 18 years old or anything.

She found herself at the front door in one piece, much to her relief, and pulled it open, only to reveal a very familiar face.

"Well, if it isn't Shortie," Jace mused, leaning against the doorway with a smirk.

"You're Izzy's brother?" Clary squeaked, the heat rising up to her face. Damn, she was blushing in front of the most gorgeous boy she'd ever met. And the way his white shirt was clinging to his muscles didn't help- _Stop it, Clary!_

"I know, it's hard to look away, isn't it," Jace smirked, gesturing to his body. "I'm very attractive."

And just like that, Clary melted. Sure, he was being a jackass, but she didn't really care. Even after their strange encounter at Pandemonium, she wanted to know him, Felt like she needed to know him.

It was slightly scary.

"Is Izzy done yet?" Jace asked, peering into the hallway behind Clary, and she swallowed. _Get it together now..._

"She was getting her stuff."

"I'm here, I'm here," Izzy said a little breathlessly, coming up next to Clary. "Just wait there a sec, will you Jace?"

Jace waved an arm and crossed them both over his chest, still smirking at Clary. And there was that heat again...

Izzy turned and dumped a black cardigan and a clutch into Clary's arms. "You'll need both of these," she said with a smile. "I'll see you later, I'm sure."

Clary grinned and nodded. "I'm sure you will." Then she reached out and put her arms around her, surprising the both of them with the hug. "Thankyou for helping me out today," she said gratefully.

"Don't worry about it," Izzy muttered back before pulling away. "Sebastian's gonna love you tonight."

"Come on, Izzy. Let's go."

Clary glanced back at Jace, who had suddenly grown tense, all of his muscles bunching together under his shirt. Clary groaned inwardly. Damn him and his muscles.

Izzy shook her head in exasperation. "Don't get your panties in a twist, Jace! I'm coming!"

She winked at Clary and smiled before she pushed past Jace and went down the path, waving as she did. Which left Jace standing on the doorstep, Clary feeling very awkward.

He looked down at her, and tilted his mouth up into a heart stopping smirk. "You look good, Shortie."

Clary gulped. "Not so bad yourself, Angel."

Jace's grin slipped a bit, and Clary wondered if she'd said the wrong thing, before it came back in full force, and she swooned a little.

Jace bent close to her ear, his lips almost brushing the skin. "Later, Shortie," he whispered, before straightening and following his sister down the path.

Clary watched him go with a stunned look, and didn't close the door after he'd vanished from sight. She probably looked like an idiot to any people who were passing by, but what did she care? Jace had taken her breath, but she wouldn't admit it. He was a gorgeous boy with a cocky/assey attitude, and that put her off a bit. Only a tiny bit, but a bit all the same.

She didn't wait long before Sebastian sauntered up to her, stopping when he caught her in full view with his mouth wide open. She bit her lip, pushing all thoughts of Jace away for the moment. She would refuse to think about him whilst her boyfriend was staring at her like he'd never seen her before.

"Damn, Clary," Sebastian said, his eyes drinking her in. "You look amazing."

"So do you," she replied with a smile, stepping out the front door and shutting it behind her with a soft click. And he did, it was true; dark hair, dark eyes and dark clothes, looking every inch like the black knight.

Sebastian held out his hand with a grin, offering for Clary to take it, still shocked. "Shall we go?"

Clary linked her arm through his with a smile, and brushed her lips across his cheek softly. "We shall."

* * *

"Well?"

"They're leaving now."

The man sighed on the other end of the phone. "Do not let them out of your sight. Everything must go according to plan."

"I remember," he replied, watching the girl and boy walk down the path to his car.

"I suggest you remember it well, Jonathon," came the smooth voice from the receiver. "He will not be pleased if you mess this up. And neither will I. Do it right."

He hesitated, keeping his eyes fixed on the girl as she climbed into the car, laughing.

"You're not having second thoughts about this, are you? Because you know what will happen then."

He shook his head. "No, no second thoughts. The girl is nothing."

The man breathed into the phone. "Wonderful. I have taught you well."

"Yes, you have."

"Make sure the ones we need stay alive. The others do not matter."

"Yes, Sir."

"Good."

"I'll call back with my progress," he said into the speaker, starting up the engine of his own car as the one in front pulled away from the sidewalk.

"I'll be expecting you to, Jonathon," the voice replied, then the line went dead.

* * *

**Don't hate me please!**

**So, yeah, my Minions, this was basically just a filler Chapter. But I know exactly what is going to happen in the next one! Just give me some time :)**

**Oh, and also, you can follow me on Twitter at Charlii_MeAtSix :)**

**Clary: Please don't make them wait as long this time!**

**Jace: Yeah, I think they need to see more of me.**

**Alec: They don't need to see more of your ego, that's for sure.**

**Jace: I was thinking more about my body...**

**Izzy: God, no. I don't need to be mentally scarred.**

**Magnus: Speak for yourself, Izzy, darling. I wouldn't mind too much.**

**Me: Ditto, Magnus.**

**Jace: So that's settled.**

**Simon: Like hell it is, Angel Boy!**

**So yeah, review for a shirtless Jace? And most definitely a jealous one ;)**

**- TheGrandGiftOfSilence**


	9. Hope, Lust and Danger

**Hello my little Minions!**

**I have a thousand excuses for not updating but the main one is that bitch called life that always seems to fuck everything up. You know the one I'm on about?**

**I've kept you waiting too long for this, so I'll meet you at the bottom :3**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned TMI, but I don't, unfortunately. Be ace if I did though; I'd totally be with Jace and Simon right about now ;)**

* * *

**_"I walk this empty street, on the boulevard of broken dreams,_**  
**_When the city sleeps, and I'm the only one I walk a..._**  
**_My shadow's the only one that walks beside me,_**  
**_My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating,_**  
**_Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me,_**  
**_Til' then I walk alone..."_**  
_Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day_

**A/N: I kind of think of this song as Jace's song for this Chapter. Let me know what you guys think! :)**_  
_

**Oh, and also maybe listen to Let Me Love You by Ne-Yo when Sebastian and Clary dance together, you'll see why ;)**

* * *

"You could have told me that Clary has a boyfriend before you rang me."

Izzy shook her head in exasperation and banged her head against the car window. "There is no way in hell I would have even thought about telling you that, Jace. And don't ask me why either, because you know perfectly well why I didn't."

"Well I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm alright with it, am I?" Jace replied, his knuckles tightening on the steering wheel and the skin threatening to break across the bone. He kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead so he didn't have to look at Izzy, fearing that he might lose it if he did.

"I'm not asking you to pretend, Jace. I know you're not all right with it and neither am I, but there's not a whole lot we can do about it right now, okay?"

"Why should you care about it?"

Izzy cracked her knuckles and leaned back against the seat, taking a deep breath as she did. "Clary didn't just mean an awful lot to you, she meant a lot to me and Alec too. Even Mom and Dad miss her, Jace. When you and her started dating before she left, she always came to me to ask my opinion on things, for advice, things like that. She's like my sister, and it's killing me inside to know that we might never get her back. So don't pretend you're the only one hurting about all this, because you're not, okay?"

Jace didn't answer. He wasn't used to Izzy getting all mushy on subjects, and he couldn't handle it when girls were upset. He felt awkward in those situations, so instead he kept his mouth shut as he drove. His mind felt like it was going on auto-pilot though; his body responding correctly to all the twists and turns in the road but everything in his head focused on Clary.

Her hair, her eyes, her perfect skin, the freckles dusted across her skin that she always hated but he secretly loved, all of her. Every memory he had of her was crystal clear, and he usually ventured into his head whenever he needed her. But now she was here, and she was further away from him than ever.

He glanced over at Izzy, who had her hand tucked under her chin and was staring out the side window, closed off to any conversation. He knew how she felt. She rarely let her feelings surface, and if she did it definitely wasn't in front of Jace. They never had heart-to-hearts, but now Jace found himself actually feeling something for his sister. She was suffering too, almost as much as he was. It was something the whole of the Lightwood family had in common, and the only thing they had ever had in common; their love for the short red-headed girl with enough life to power the Sun.

That asshole Sebastian didn't deserve her. As he'd walked out of the gate he'd found Izzy talking to a dark haired boy dressed in even darker clothes as she waited next to the car. He was wrong for her. They both were. Jace may have been right for her when they were younger but now he'd turned into an egotistical bastard who slept with girls for the fun of it, just because he didn't have a chance with her.

Izzy sat up suddenly and turned towards Jace, her hand over her mouth in shock. Jace raised an eyebrow at her quizzically.

"Pull over."

"What?" Jace replied, his foot lifting off the pedal in surprise.

"Just do it, Jace. Now!"

Jace looked at Izzy like she was out of her mind and parked in the first spot he could find, five minutes away from The Institute. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep breath before turning back to Izzy, who spoke before he opened his mouth.

"Do you remember that old Shadowhunter rhyme that Mom taught us when we were younger?"

Jace shook his head in disbelief. "Can this not wait until we get home, Iz!? We're literally about five minutes-"

"No, Jace, it's important," Izzy said cutting him off impatiently. "Now do you remember it or not?"

He blinked once at her and nodded slowly.

Izzy nodded back and closed her eyes. "Good. Recite it to me."

"You've got to be kidding me, Iz," Jace said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not in the mood for th-"

"Please Jace. Do it."

Jace stared at her and sucked in a breath. Izzy never said please, and if she did it was because something was seriously wrong. Shaking his head, he recited the old poem to Izzy.

"_Black for hunting through the night,_  
_For death and sorrow, the colour's white._  
_Gold for a bride in her wedding gown,_  
_And red to call enchantment down_."

"By the Angel, she remembers."

Jace raised an eyebrow at his sister in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Izzy shifted in her seat so she was looking straight at Jace and clasped her hands in her lap. "Her room. She's painted her room those colours. Black furniture, white walls, red and gold accessories..."

"You're kidding me, aren't you?" Jace said, but Izzy kept talking.

"She even painted black runes on one of the walls, Jace, I knew I recognized what they were but they all linked together so I couldn't figure it out! She's still there, Jace. Clary's still there, I know it!"

Jace felt like his heart was about to burst. Those colours were everything to Shadowhunters, and had been for many years. It couldn't be a coincidence that Clary had used those very four colours to paint her bedroom, could it?

"She painted runes, Jace. Actual Shadowhunter runes. She remembers!"

Jace felt like laughing. Izzy had given him a tiny shred of hope that his Clary still existed. All they had to do now was reach her.

He grabbed Izzy's wrist across the clutch and grinned, watching as she returned it with a smile of her own. "We can get her back?" He asked hopefully.

"Maybe, I don't know," Izzy replied, her smile fading slightly.

It was a chance, Jace knew, one that he would take. He let go of Izzy's wrist and turned the key in the ignition, but Izzy pulled his shoulder to stop him from doing so. "There's something else, Jace."

"What is it?"

"When you were talking about Clary's brother still having runes earlier, I looked to see if Sebastian had any, just to check."

"And?" Jace said, turning back to her curiously.

Izzy bit her lip and sighed. "Sebastian's a Shadowhunter, Jace. Clary's dating one of us."

_xoxo~IFFY~oxox_

"It can't be a coincidence, Maryse. It just can't be. Something inside of her remembers what she used to be; all we have to do now is find it."

Jace and Izzy had gone straight to Maryse when they'd got back to The Institute, both eager to tell her about the news that they had found out about Clary. But Maryse had shrugged it off as a coincidence, and that the both of them were being silly to believe that Sebastian being a Shadowhunter and Clary painting her room in Nephilim colours had any relation to Clary forgetting about her past.

"Mom, please! You don't seriously believe that, do you?" Izzy asked, her hands on her hips and her stance tense.

Maryse sat forward in her chair. "I'm sorry, Isabelle, but you can't expect me to believe what you are saying! It's impossible!"

"What do you want, Maryse? Photographic evidence? Is that what you're asking for?" Jace clenched his fists at his sides as he glared at Maryse.

"I don't know, Jace!" Maryse said, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration. "Clary isn't a toy, and this isn't some silly game. Maybe it's best if we leave her alone."

Jace felt a volcano about to erupt, but for the second time that day he was cut off before he could open his mouth.

"Now, Maryse, maybe Jace and Isabelle are on to something here."

"Hodge, please don't tell me that you believe these silly fantasies too," Maryse groaned, rubbing her hands across her face.

Jace turned around and watched Hodge carefully as he walked up to where he was standing with Izzy. "What do you mean, Hodge?"

Hodge Starkweather was The Institute's tutor, teaching Jace, Alec and Izzy since they were children. He'd even helped Clary to study the Shadowhunter's Codex when Jocelyn and Valentine were busy in Idris or on patrols. He was middle aged, with grey hair, stormy eyes, and wrinkles around his kind face. Jace had known him since he'd been 'adopted' by the Lightwoods, and now Hodge was tutoring Max. Which couldn't be an easy task.

Jace stood silently as Hodge clasped his hands behind his back and turned to face him. "I know the Silent Brothers have told you that they've never seen something like this before, which is true. It is different and peculiar, and something that must be done by either a very strong demon or an equally powerful Shadowhunter."

Izzy raised an eyebrow. "Like a Greater Demon?"

"Perhaps. I don't know for sure."

"So what are you saying, then?" Jace asked, folding his arms across his chest and mimicking Izzy's expression.

"What I'm saying is that Clary could have repressed the memories of her past due to something she's witnessed, but that wouldn't make sense. If that was the case, then she would have gaps in her memory and the event would have had to be a dire situation for her to forget so much. No," Hodge said, as he bagan to pace the carpet in front of Maryse's desk, "I think that it is possible that Clary had her memories wiped by someone and replaced with completely different ones."

"But how does this explain anything, Hodge?" Maryse asked, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the dark wood.

Hodge paused in his pacing before starting again. "I'm not saying that it does, but it's obvious that Clary has holes in her memory. I think some of them are leaking through, but something - or some_one _- is closing them off again before they can surface."

Maryse pressed a finger to her lips. "You could be right, Hodge. But it doesn't explain who could have done such a thing."

"it's not like Clary would allow it or anything, either," Izzy added. "She was always a strong Shadowhunter, and picked up stuff a lot better than I did."

"Maybe her mind has started to repel the fake memories and is threatening to break through to the real ones, now that she's seen you all." Hodge stopped and leaned on the desk, catching Maryse's eye. "What if we brought her here?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Hodge."

"Why not?" he asked, gesturing to Maryse with his next words. "You cannot deny that you miss the little Spitfire, Maryse. You used to say that you thought of her as your daughter, too."

"Yes, I did. And I want to believe we can get her back, but it's impossible!"

"Nothing's impossible, Mom," Izzy said quietly.

Jace had listened to the whole conversation without saying a word, instead letting his mind process everything that Hodge said. Maybe Hodge was right about Clary, that something could have stolen her memories away from her. But Jace didn't think that was the case.

He knew she remembered; recognition sparked in her eyes every she saw him, every time he used her old nickname. Even her body reacted to him, just like it had always done.

He closed his eyes and let the conversation wash over him as a memory floated to the front of his mind.

_"Hey, Shortie?" Jace said, looking at Clary where she was reading the _Shadowhunter's Codex_ on a sofa in the Library of The Institute, her legs crossed. _

_"Yeah?" she replied without looking up from the book._

_"It's my Birthday soon."_

_"It's two months away, Angel," Clary pointed out, turning a page._

_Jace stood up of the floor and grabbed the book from her, laughing. "Boring, boring, boring, how do you read this?" he asked, flipping pages as he did._

_"Jace, give that back!" Clary yelled, leaping up from the sofa and tackling the 13 year old boy to the ground._

_They rolled around the floor together, Clary trying to wrestle the book from Jace's hands ash he held it above his head so she couldn't reach. Suddenly he turned over so he was laying on top of Clary, startling her so she stopped moving._

_Both of them stopped laughing and stared at each other, eyes bright and breathing heavy. _

_"I never told you what I wanted for my Birthday," Jace murmured, keeping his eyes on Clary's._

_Clary was breathless. "What do you want, Jace?"_

_Jace smiled and tapped Clary on the nose. "You, Shortie. I want you."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I'm asking you to be my girlfriend, Shortie. Please?"_

_Jace held his breath as he waited for Clary to answer, refusing to look away from her._

_"Okay. I'll be your girlfriend, Angel."_

_Jace grinned and pulled Clary up with him in a sitting position. "Promise?"  
_

_Clary smiled back and wrapped her pinkie around his. "Pinkie promise."_

"It's easy, Maryse. Just use Jace."

Jace shook his head and brought himself out of the memory when he heard Hodge say his name, focusing his attention back to the conversation. Izzy, Maryse and Hodge were all staring at him, and he rolled his eyes. "What?"

"You can get Clary to come here, right Jace?" Hodge asked him, walking over and putting his hands on Jace's shoulders. "If I see her, I may be able to determine what's wrong with her."

Jace shrugged. "Sure. No girl can resist this," he added, gesturing to himself, and Izzy snorted.

"Alright then," Hodge said, clapping his hands together. "Maryse?"

Maryse stood up from her seat and pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "Okay, fine. But just be careful with her. She's obviously not in the right state of mind right now, so she might not trust you."

Jace waved a hand at Izzy and turned around, walking towards the door. "Don't worry about it, Maryse. I'm sure we'll manage."

"It won't be that easy, Jace," Izzy said, catching up with him as he opened the door out into the hallway.

Jace shut the door behind them and smirked at Izzy, who was looking at him skeptically. "You sound just like Maryse, Iz. Have a little faith."

_xoxo~IFFY~oxox_

"You look amazing, Clary."

Clary laughed and glanced at Sebastian in the driver's seat of the car. "You've said that already, Seb. Do you have the memory span of a goldfish or something?"

Sebastian grinned back at her, taking one hand off the wheel to take hers. "Nope, I'm just being honest. You really do look beautiful tonight, Clare."

Clary blushed and squeezed her fingers around Sebastian's. "Thanks, Seb."

He blew out a breath and turned his attention back to the road. "Good, at least that didn't sound as cheesy as I thought it did."

Smiling, Clary traced the tattoo of the eye on the back of Sebastian's hand. "I never asked what this means."

Sebastian glanced down at where Clary's finger was outlining the black ink. "It means Voyance," he replied bluntly, taking his hand away to change gears.

"As in, Clairvoyance?" Clary asked, shaking her head in confusion as recognition sparked within her.

"Yeah, I guess," Sebastian replied, sliding the car into a spot at the side of the road and killing the engine. Clary blinked away her reaction to Sebastian's tattoo and looked out the window, taking in the familiar queue of people and strobe lights.

"You brought me to Pandemonium?"

He shrugged. "It's one of your favourite spots, and we hardly ever let go when we're together. Tonight's our night." He flashed a smile at Clary then ducked out of the car, walking round it to open Clary's door. He held out a hand and helped her out, and Clary couldn't help but think of him as the perfect gentleman. He'd always treated her like she was as fragile as glass, and it made her feel special. He was gorgeous, too, so gorgeous that sometimes Clary didn't know why he'd asked her to be his girlfriend in the first place.

But now, as she looked at him, she couldn't help but picture his dark contrast next to that of golden hair, tan skin, defined muscles and a face that was flawless...

_Woah! Where the hell did that come from, Clary!_ she thought, shaking her head to clear the mental image. _I definitely should not be thinking about another boy when I'm on a date with my boyfriend, for Angel's sake! And who the hell says Angel's sake? What's wrong with me!_

So if she'd told herself that, why couldn't she stop thinking about Jace?

Her thoughts cut off when Sebastian took her hand and led her to the front of the queue, passing two VIP tickets to the bouncer at the door. He studied them for a minute before nodding and opening the doors to let them through, after stamping both of their hands to let them in and out if they needed to.

Clary stepped inside the club and was instantly swept up in an overwhelming sensation of adrenaline, pounding music and the sight of sweaty bodies dancing as a crowd.

But all the sight did was remind her of her first meeting with Jace, and it was one she also knew she wouldn't forget.

Sebastian tightened his grip on her hand and leaned down to speak in her ear so she could hear him. "Do you want a drink?"

No, she didn't want a drink. If she had one she wouldn't be able to stop until all thoughts of Jace were gone from her mind. And that was going to take a hell of a lot of alcohol.

She shook her head at him and led him instead to the middle of the dancefloor, where it was most crowded. Clary had the ability to lose her senses in here, let the music take control of her and lead her every move, overpower her every thought.

Clary knew the song they were playing; it was _Let Me Love You_ by Ne-Yo, a song with a fast beat and one she could definitely dance to.

She turned to face Sebastian, who was looking at her in a way that made her feel wanted and sexy, darkening his eyes.

Before she thought about it, she pulled Sebastian towards her and slid her hands up his chest, tightening them around his neck and pulling his hair. She felt rather than heard the growl in his chest, and he dug his fingers into her hips to pull her flush against him, every slither of air gone from between their bodies. He lowered his head down and Clary tilted hers so that their foreheads pressed together, breath mingling in heavy pants.

She closed her eyes and moved her hips against his, letting him lead her. He was a pretty good dancer, she had to admit, and the the music flowed through the both of them, directing their movements against each other.

Suddenly she was spun around so that her back was pressed against Sebastian's chest, and she danced against him, keeping one of her arms wrapped around his neck and the other travelled down until it rested on his thigh. He spread his hands across her stomach, holding her firmly against him.

With her eyes closed, Clary felt like she was in another world, filled with raw emotion and completely exposed to people around her. She was just waiting for the moment when he spun her around again, her hands in his silky blonde hair, his lips soft and wet against the skin of her neck, travelling upwards until they reached her lips, kissing her gently and then harder, filled with a raw passion-

"_Girl let me love you, a heart of numbness, get's brought to life, I'll take you there..."_

Clary's eyes flew open with shock and the image in her mind burst like a bubble. She wasn't dancing with Jace; she was dancing with Sebastian, and he was singing the words in her ear.

She looked down at the floor, keeping her pace with his so as not to alert him. Just moments before she had told herself not to think about Jace, and yet here she was, picturing herself dancing with him and kissing him whilst Sebastian danced behind her with no idea what was going through her mind.

She breathed in deeply and took her hand from Sebastian's leg, using it to brush her damp-with-sweat hair from her eyes. Then she lifted her head up and stopped dancing altogether.

Straight across the room from her, was Jace. It was like everyone had been moved to stand in just the right place so she had the perfect view of him. Broad shoulders, tight black t-shirt, leather jacket, golden hair that caught every strobe light...

How could one person be so God damn perfect?

And why did she get the feeling that she'd seen him before?

Sebastian kissed the side of her head and spoke in her ear. "What's wrong?"

Clary turned around in his arms and forced a smile. He didn't deserve this, she knew, but she couldn't help herself. With Sebastian, she felt safe and secure, something she knew, but when Jace was there she felt the danger ooze of him in waves, and God, was it what she wanted.

"I'll be right back," Clary said distractedly, trying desperately to keep the smile in place. "I have to go to the toilet. I'll meet you at the bar, okay?"

Sebastian nodded and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Sure."

She watched as he strode into the mass of dancing bodies and immediately got lost in the crowd, and she turned to see that Jace was gone.

Without thinking, she quickly pushed her way through to where she'd last seen him, not caring who she pushed or shoved out of the way and ignoring all the complaints from drunk teens as she did.

She had to know who he was.

She needed to know.

She reached the edge of the dance floor and boosted herself onto the step, glancing around to catch sight of his blonde hair. She scanned the crowd with narrowed eyes, trying to see past the strobe lights that lit up the club like a neon target in the darkness-

_There._ She could see him now, making his way to a door marked _'No Admittance'_ with a green-haired girl under his arm.

Clary couldn't help the flare of jealousy spark through her as she watched Jace open the door and lead the girl through it, shutting the door behind them.

She jumped off the step and pushed her way through the crowd once more, keeping her eyes locked in that direction as she shoved through. She didn't care if Jace was with some whore; she had to talk to him, because if she didn't she was going to explode.

He knew her name. Why? It had nothing to do with Maia; she'd called the girl after she'd dropped Simon off at home last night and she'd claimed she didn't know anything about it. So how, then, did he know her?

And why did she feel like someone had rammed her into a plug socket every time she was near him?

She pushed out into an opening and stumbled, the delicate heels of the shoes Izzy had loaned to her threatening to break off. She caught her balance and looked up just as two other people slunk into the same door as Jace had a few moments before, both dressed in black outfits that were similar to his.

The weird thing was that Clary seemed to be the only person to notice them.

No one around her seemed the slightest bit concerned that four people had just entered a no-go area of the club, and she didn't know whether to tell someone or not. But that would probably just sound off alarms that no one needed, and she didn't want to alert Sebastian for obvious reasons.

Instead, she gathered her wits and marched towards the door, pushing it open quickly in case someone noticed her.

But what she saw shocked her, and she gasped out loud.

So much for not being noticed.

_xoxo~IFFY~oxox_

Jace had been in the club less than ten minutes and already he'd spotted five demons lurking about, prowling through the crowd and looking for their prey. Izzy and Alec were somewhere else, waiting in the shadows for Jace to make his first move.

He hadn't seen Clary yet, so he assumed that she was somewhere within the writhing mass of bodies, dancing with her stupid boyfriend.

He clenched his fists and sucked in a deep breath. First, get rid of the demons. Then find Clary.

Satisfied, he locked his eyes on a green-haired demon girl perched at the bar, her eyes never leaving the dance floor.

Jace pushed his way through to her and stepped in front of her line of sight, effectively cutting off her view of the dancers.

"Hey! Do you-" she started, but cut off when her eyes travelled up to his face, and she smiled seductively at him. Well, in a way that she must have thought was seductive but he really found repulsive and sickening, but he kept the smirk on his face anyway. He was used to this by now.

"Well hello, handsome," she said, standing up from the stool and stroking Jace's arm with her fingertips. By the Angel, how he wished Clary would touch him like that. How he wished he could pull her close and hold her like he'd always wanted to, kiss her breathless and trace her porcelain skin with his lips-

"What brings you over here?"

Jace started and moved his attention back to the demon, pushing all thoughts of Clary out of his mind for the time being. The demon had leaned forward into him now, and was whispering in his ear.

He slid one arm around her waist, and used the other hand to push some hair behind her ear. "A girl like you looked like you were waiting for a God like me," he replied, still smirking.

She bit her lip and pulled back, jerking her head towards one of the storage rooms. "Want to go somewhere a bit more private?"

Jace lifted his eyebrows. "You can't resist this, can you?"

The demon giggled and began to lead him through the crowd, his arm draped over her shoulders and hers around his waist. They reached the door and Jace pushed her inside, eager for this to be over with and then he could find Clary.

He shut the door and instantly the demon backed him up against the wall, her eyes bright and her fingers digging into his neck. "Oh, you stupid little boy. Looking for some fun never turns out quite as planned, does it?"

Jace smirked again. "If it did then I wouldn't be doing it. Too boring, repetitive, the same thing over and over again..."

The demon stuck out her pointed tongue and licked Jace's cheek, leaving no trail of anything on his skin.

Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Alec and Izzy entered the room silently, and he took a dagger out of his pocket without alerting the demon.

"Silly little boy, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into," the demon said, leaning back and grinning wickedly at Jace.

He shook his head slightly. "I think I could say the same thing about you," he replied, as he thrust the dagger into her side.

She fell back with a squeal, her knees hitting the floor and hands covering the wound as the black ichor poured out of it. "Shadowhunter," she hissed. "I should've known."

"But you didn't," Jace said with a shrug, pulling a seraph blade out of his boot and twirling it between his fingers.

"Jace, we're not here to play games," Alec said, stepping out of the shadows. "We've got another job to do tonight, remember?"

"Yeah, Jace, come on," Izzy complained, uncoiling her electrum whip from around her wrist. "We still need to find Clary, and I've gotta find Simon."

Jace opened his mouth to reply when he heard the demon laughing behind him, and he whirled round to face her.

"What?"

"So you're the infamous Jace Lightwood. Tell me, how is your relationship with the little red-haired girl, hmm? Clarissa Morgernstern?"

Jace was crouched in front of her in an instant, the seraph blade pointed against her throat. He hadn't even bothered to name it; all he wanted to do was kill the bitch.

"What the hell do you know about Clary?" he spat, digging the blade deeper into her neck and creating a shallow cut across her throat. "Tell me!"

It was then that he heard it; the almost inaudible gasp that could only be heard by someone who wasn't human, which was why all four heads belonging to the Lightwoods and the demon whipped round to where Clary stood just inside the door, her eyes wide with fear and her hands pressed against her mouth.

"Well," Izzy started, staring at Clary with something like astonishment etched on her face. "I'm pretty sure this wasn't the way we planned it at all."

_xoxo~IFFY~oxox_

He sat down, and Jonathon was on him in a heartbeat.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know, I didn't see where she went."

Jonathon shook his head. "You're lying."

The other boy stuck his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry, Jon! All I saw was her take off, you know how she is."

Wiping his hand across his face, Jonathon scanned the crowd again, looking for a flash of red or golden blonde. "She must have seen him," he said, eyes narrowing. "He's got to be here somewhere."

"And what do we do if he is?"

Jonathon looked back at the other boy with a grin. "We don't do anything. _He _will take care of it. He wants them to suffer, every last Shadowhunter, just like he suffered at the hands of The Clave. And he's starting with them."

"But what does she have to do with it?"

He clasped his hands behind his head, a twisted expression on his face. "That's something that will be revealed in due time, my friend. But he's bringing them down, all of them. Starting with the Lightwoods."

* * *

***Hides from mob***

**All mistakes are mine, and I apologise for that. This story isn't beta'd.**

**JMPORTANT A/N TO EXPLAIN MYSELF**

**Erm, okay, so where do I start? I guess it's just the fact that so much stuff has been going on that I don't know my right from left anymore.**

**School has been a major nightmare, and I've been in a really dark place, so to speak, for the past few months aswell. So I'm really, really sorry, and that's why this chapter is my longest yet (almost 6000 words); because I've kept you all waiting way too long.**

**Anyway, thankyou to everyone who's still here, I freaking love you my little Minions and honestly I wouldn't have written anymore without the reviews from these people:**

**Smile 4 the Day: Thank you so much for reviewing pretty much every chapter and sticking with me! :)**

**ChaptersGirl: Your review actually made me cry, thank you so much. I'm so glad you like it and I'm glad your friends do too! :)**

**LexiSoulsister: This review was actually the one that made me start writing again, I don't know why, but you sparked something in me and I instantly wanted to write, so thank you so much for that. Glad you like the story! :)**

**Well, I didn't think this chapter was my best, but please, drop me a review, follow, PM, or favourite and even Tweet me (NephilimInBlack) won't you my little Minions? You're helping me to keep my life going :)**

**Jace: Well at least it had more me in it.**

**Clary: Jace! You could learn to be a bit more respectful to the author!**

**Simon: Yeah Jace! You egotistical bastard!**

**Jace: I'll take that as a compliment.**

**Me: Erm, Jace, I don't think that was meant as a compliment...**

**Jace: But it was directed at me, so I'll take it.**

**Me&Simon: ...**

**Clary: Ignore him. He's being an asshat.**

**Jace: Thanks, babe. Love you too!**

**Clary: ...**

**So yeah! ;) Love you my little Minions, until next time!**

**- TheGrandGiftOfSilence**


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